photo #7991229

European officials believe US president Donald Trump is likely to withdraw troops from the Baltics, leaving the continent vulnerable to Russia, as a report claims his peace plan would see Ukraine forced into paying extraordinary financial reparations. The Telegraph reported that the US is seeking to control Ukraine's critical minerals, travel ports and natural resources in exchange for protection from Russia. According to a draft of the contract, marked as 'privileged and confidential' and dated February 7, 2025, seen by the newspaper, the agreement covers the 'economic value associated with resources of Ukraine', including 'mineral resources, oil and gas resources, ports, other infrastructure (as agreed).'This would see the US take 50% of revenues received by Ukraine from the extraction of natural resources, and 50% of the financial value of 'all new licences issues to third parties' for the future monetisation of these resources. According to one source close to the negotiations who spoke to the Telegraph, the US has included a clause that 'means "pay us first, then feed your children".' The US has given a total of $175billion to Ukraine across five appropriation bills passed by Congress, which Trump has long said he wants back. Volodymyr Zelensky has previously proposed giving the US a direct stake in Ukraine's rare earth elements, in an attempt to smooth the way for continued arms deliveries, claiming in September that American operations would make it far less likely for Russia to attack again. But the FT reported that European officials believe that Trump is willing to agree to taking American troops out of the Baltic states, which all border Russia or its ally Belarus.