US President Donald Trump suggested that after the war ends, Ukraine may acquire somewhat different territorial outlines. He was answering a question about whether Ukraine would remain a free and independent state following a peace settlement.
The American president said this in an interview with 60 Minutes on CBS News, which aired on November 8.
"I think we'll get it done, and it will happen. Ultimately, Ukraine will have a somewhat different shape", Trump said.
His words may indicate a possibility of Ukraine's borders changing as part of a future peace agreement. However, the US president did not explain which territorial changes he had in mind, nor did he announce any relevant agreements.
Speaking about prospects for ending the war, Trump stated that the parties are "very close" to reaching a deal. According to him, the war will end soon, and he attributes the main role in achieving agreements to his own diplomatic efforts.
The American president called the "hatred between Zelenskyy and Putin" the main obstacle to peace. When asked whom he trusts more - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy or Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Trump refused to answer, saying he maintains relations with both.
When the journalist noted that Zelenskyy's attitude toward Putin is understandable because Russia invaded Ukraine, Trump agreed with that argument. However, he added that during the first meeting between the two presidents, in his opinion, "great disrespect for Russia" was shown.
At the same time, Trump said he does not believe Putin is deliberately dragging out peace talks. He also insisted that his administration conducts a tough policy toward Moscow.
Separately, the journalist asked about easing restrictions on Russian diesel fuel supplies. Trump denied that he had lifted the relevant sanctions, but acknowledged that he allowed Russia to supply additional volumes of oil and diesel to the world market. In his assessment, this was not a significant concession to Moscow.
Trump also spoke about military support for Ukraine. He stressed that the US continues to supply weapons, but now European partners pay for them. The president criticized the previous administration of Joe Biden for providing weapons and financial assistance to Ukraine without proper compensation.
However, the American president positively assessed the actions of the Ukrainian military, noting that Ukraine has demonstrated courage and the ability to effectively use the American weapons received.
Another topic of the interview was the possible slowdown of Starlink satellite communications for Ukrainian users. Trump stated that he personally never ordered to limit the system's speed and does not know who could have made such a decision. He also noted that he has no final confirmation of the slowdown itself, although, according to him, after reports of the problem, the system's operation was restored.
Trump's statements came ahead of trilateral talks between Ukraine, the US, and Russia planned for November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi. According to US special envoy Steve Witkoff, the parties are to discuss post-war security guarantees, de-escalation, humanitarian issues, and further steps toward a peace deal.
Sources: CBS News, full CBS News transcript, CBS News (on negotiations)
