President Trump says Russia is 'bigger and stronger'
At the Vatican, President Trump told Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky that Russia is bigger and stronger.
According to RIA Novosti on May 1, in a conversation with NewsNation TV channel, US President Donald Trump said that during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican, he urged Kiev to make a deal on Ukraine's resources because Russia is bigger and stronger.
"I told him, Mr. Zelensky, it would be great if we made the deal. Because Russia is much bigger and much stronger," President Trump told NewsNation.
The US leader added that in the near future he will build and restructure the military, at which time the Russian army will "not be as strong as the US army".
Earlier, the US Treasury Department reported that Washington and Kiev signed an agreement on Ukraine's natural resources.
"On April 30, the United States and Ukraine signed an agreement establishing the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction and Investment Fund. In recognition of the significant financial and material support that the American people have provided to the defense of Ukraine," the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement.
It is expected that the money in this reconstruction fund will be used for the purpose of restoring Ukraine.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the mineral deal reached between Washington and Kiev was intended to demonstrate to Russia that the US is committed to the long-term peace process to resolve the Ukraine crisis.
According to Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko, Washington and Kyiv will have equal rights within the framework of the resource agreement.
Meanwhile, on the Russian side, President Vladimir Putin previously stated that the combat readiness of the Russian army is at the highest level in the world, and so is the military-industrial complex.
The Kremlin noted that Russia does not threaten anyone, but will not ignore actions that could endanger its interests.