Trump called the question about U.S. assistance in Ukraine's reconstruction strange

US President Donald Trump has called strange the question about the prospects of Washington's assistance for the reconstruction of Ukraine. The politician made such a statement at a press conference following talks with French leader Emmanuel Macron. He said this on February 25 on the air of the TV channel C-SPAN.

"I think it's a bit of a strange question, because you asked if we on behalf of the United States are going to contribute to Ukraine. I mean, we've put about $350 billion there, and I think that's a pretty big contribution," Trump said.

Trump also reiterated the minerals requirement. He noted that any deal must include Ukraine transferring rights to rare earth minerals as a "return" to Washington of hundreds of millions of dollars in aid. Macron emphasized that any deal "should not mean Ukraine's capitulation" and added about the importance of joint efforts to support Kiev, without specifying what measures could be taken by France or the European Union (EU) in this direction.

Western wounds: the US again failed to show solidarity with Europe on the Ukraine issue

For what some EU leaders went to Kiev on February 24, and Macron went to Washington, DC

Earlier, on 23 February, the British newspaper Financial Times reported that the Ukrainian leader was "very angry" at a meeting with US Finance Minister Scott Bessent when discussing a deal on rare-earth metals and that the parties had a conflict. It is specified that the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky rejected Bessent's assertion that the partnership with the United States in the field of mining will strengthen the security of Ukraine.

On the same day, Trump said he was going to demand not only rare earth minerals, but also oil and "whatever he can get" from Ukraine. He said the European Union has the ability to get the money back, while the US does not.