Photo: Alamy
Trump administration special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that he expects to see an agreement signed this week between the U.S. and Ukraine regarding critical mineral deposits.
Witkoff shared the news during an interview on CNN, noting a shift from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s previous position.
“The war didn’t need to happen. It was provoked. It doesn’t necessarily mean it was provoked by the Russians,” Witkoff told CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“There were all kinds of conversations back then about Ukraine joining NATO. That didn’t need to happen. It basically became a threat to the Russians,” he added.
Witkoff later said, “I expect to see a deal signed this week… [Zelensky] realizes that we have done so much and that that agreement belongs being signed. And I think you will see it signed this week.”
Trump has applied pressure on both Ukraine and Russia to make a deal to end the conflict since returning to office last month.
In January, Trump shared a post to his Truth Social account calling on Russia to “make a deal” to end the conflict in Ukraine.
“I’m not looking to hurt Russia. I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin – and this despite the Radical Left’s Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX. We must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War, losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process, Trump began.
“All of that being said, I’m going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE,” he continued.
Trump warned that taxes, tariffs and sanctions would be made against Russia if the war is not ended soon.
“If we don’t make a ‘deal,’ and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries,” he wrote.
The president argued that the war with Ukraine could be ended the “easy” way or the “hard” way.
“Let’s get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way – and the easy way is always better. It’s time to ‘MAKE A DEAL.’ NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!!” he concluded.
