Photo: EPA
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara that the United States and Ukraine are discussing the possibility of Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russian territory, particularly against logistics hubs and oil refineries. According to Rubio, such operations are intended to demonstrate to Moscow how difficult it is to defend its own airspace.
At that point, US President Donald Trump interjected:
“This is an escalation that could lead to the end of the war.”
Trump added that Ukraine has enormous long-term potential and said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks not only about the war but increasingly about rebuilding the country.
“Reconstruction is much more interesting. War is brutal, but I believe you will build a great country,” Trump said.
He also stated that the United States has strategic interests in Ukraine’s future, pointing to its mineral resources and agricultural potential.
“We have our own interests in this country, including its mineral resources and some of the best farmland in the world. We should make use of what this land has to offer,” Trump said.
Trump also confirmed that Ukraine is expected to receive a license to produce Patriot air defense systems and interceptor missiles in cooperation with the United States.
In addition, he praised President Zelenskyy, saying he is “doing a great job,” and described the Ukrainian people as courageous.
