Trump claims resource deal will give US more than it spent on Ukraine

US President Donald Trump has stated that signing a critical minerals deal with Ukraine could potentially generate more revenue for Washington than the US$350 billion he claims has been spent on supporting Kyiv.

Trump has repeatedly claimed at a phone-in with NewsNation that the US has spent about US$350 billion on assistance to Ukraine, although the actual figure is believed to be lower.

The US president noted that European nations have spent US$100 billion on supporting Ukraine, adding that their funds are secure due to Russian money in their banks.

"[Former US President Joe] Biden handed them [Ukraine – ed.] US$350 billion in between cash and military equipment... and we got nothing," Trump added. 

That's why, Trump said, he felt "foolish" and highlighted Ukraine's "great rare earths".

"And we made a deal today where we get much more, in theory, than the US$350 billion," Trump said. 

He also expressed his desire to help quickly reach a lasting peace agreement to end the deaths of soldiers on both sides and civilians.

At the end of the day on 30 April, it was officially announced that Ukraine and the United States had signed a critical minerals deal.

The signed agreement largely aligns with the key points made public by Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal earlier that day.

European Pravda reported that the agreement on the establishment of the US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund outlines the basic political parameters of bilateral cooperation but leaves several important provisions unspecified.