‘Russia Attacked’ – Trump Finally Acknowledges the Aggressor

After weeks of insisting that Ukraine somehow invited Russian forces to invade its country in the past decade, and that the previous US administration of Joe Biden somehow shared the blame for this, US President Donald Trump solemnly admitted he was wrong on Friday, telling his loyal news outlet, Fox, that indeed Moscow was responsible for the war, as he senses that President Volodymyr Zelensky is close to a deal to sign away half of the mineral rights for his country.

It was a largely unnoticed weekend reversal by Trump, who for weeks had repeated that Ukraine “should have never started” the war. But when pressed on the subject in an interview with Fox News Radio on Friday, he acknowledged that Moscow had indeed invaded Ukraine on the order of Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin.

“Russia attacked,” Trump admitted, but added that somehow Ukraine “shouldn’t have let him attack.”

Many were surprised that the “Deal-Maker-in-Chief”, as Trump’s cabinet calls him, whose casinos and resorts have filed for bankruptcy six times between 1991 and 2009 (asking US taxpayers to help him out with his $916 million in losses) would cede ground on this one, but there were some important news items that led to the softening on Trump’s stance.

For one, Zelensky has been making overtures to the US president that we would hold elections in his country, even though it has been under martial law since the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022 and that millions of voters have had to flee to neighboring counties, and even the US.

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“If there is peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to leave my post, I am ready,” Zelensky said over the weekend. “I can exchange it for NATO,” said Zelensky, who has urged that Ukraine be granted NATO membership as part of any agreement to end the war, but the US-led alliance has been hesitant to commit.

For another, Zelensky has been warming to the idea of an equitable deal on mineral rights, after turning down previous offers to sign away to the US half of the proceeds of Ukraine’s mined “rare earths” as part of any peace deal with Russia, without any guarantees of US security.

 “We’re signing an agreement, hopefully in the next fairly short period of time,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about a possible deal for Ukraine’s minerals.

Zelensky said on Friday that “I am hoping for a fair result.”

Speaking before those remarks on Friaday, at an event at the White House, Trump was still critical of Zelensky.

“I’ve had very good talks with Putin, and I’ve had not such good talks with Ukraine,” Trump said. “They don’t have any cards, but they’re playing tough.”