In just 90 minutes, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin may have changed Ukraine’s future forever. After their phone call, Trump also spoke with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The conversation raised a lot of questions about the country’s path forward.
Zelenskyy is ready to give up the Kursk region if it leads to peace. In a recent interview, he said Ukraine might trade land for a ceasefire. “We’ll swap one territory for another,” he said. But he’s not sure which part of Russian-held land Ukraine will ask for.
Trump wants the war to end. “That war is a disaster,” he said. He also hinted that he and Putin might meet in Saudi Arabia soon. Trump believes Putin “wants peace,” and a ceasefire could happen in the near future.
But peace won’t come cheaply. The US is asking for a bulk of Ukraine’s natural resources as repayment. Trump said America wants access to Ukraine’s oil, gas, and rare earth minerals. These resources are valuable. And Trump made it clear that Americans expect to be paid back for the aid sent to Ukraine.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Ukraine joining NATO isn’t realistic anymore. The US is no longer prioritising Ukraine’s security. The focus has shifted to protecting American borders and handling threats from China.
One thing is clear. Peace may come soon. But Ukraine will pay a heavy price for it. What will the country have to give up? And how will its future look after all of this?
