Washington, D.C., US – US President Donald Trump said his administration has ‘just about’ lifted an intelligence blackout on Ukraine.

He also said he expects good results from US talks with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.

“We’re going to make a lot of progress, I believe, this week,” Trump said.

The US president said he thought Ukraine would sign a minerals agreement with the United States.

“They will sign the minerals deal but I want them to want peace… They haven’t shown it to extent they should,” he added.

Trump also said that his administration is looking at a lot of things regarding tariffs on Russia and that they are not concerned about military exercises involving Russia, China and Iran.

US officials plan to meet with a Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

Ukraine is now ‘largest arms importer’

Ukraine is now the world’s largest arms importer, more than three years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Ukraine now accounts for 8.8% of the total volume of imports of heavy weapons, taking into account weapons such as tanks, fighter jets, submarines and the like.

On a five-year basis, India ranks second with 8.3%, followed by Qatar with 6.8%, Saudi Arabia with 6.8% and Pakistan with 4.6%.

According to the SIPRI report, at least 35 countries have contributed to Ukraine’s arms imports, with the United States accounting for 45%, followed by Germany with 12% and Poland with 11%.

The SIPRI data refer to the volume of arms deliveries, not to their financial value. Since this volume can fluctuate greatly from year to year, the researchers compare five-year periods, in this case 2020-24 with 2015-19.

Meeting frontline needs 

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that diplomacy as a method to end his country’s ongoing conflict with Russia can be strong only with ‘strong frontline positions’ for Kyiv.

“Diplomacy will only be strong with strong frontline positions. And we are doing everything to ensure that Ukraine’s frontline needs are met,” Zelensky said in a nightly video address shared on X late on Sunday.

Expressing that he heard a report from Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov on his contacts and meetings with Ukraine’s partners on new support packages, Zelensky said support packages are being prepared by neighbouring Poland, while they are expecting an expedited delivery of IRIS-T air defence systems and ammunition from Germany.

Zelensky went on to underline that it is important Germany understands its role as a key security pillar of Europe and the ‘modern free world’, and that Kyiv is also working with the EU at the level of EU institutions to cover existing supply shortages.

He said that the Netherlands conveyed its readiness to continue investing in weapons production in Ukraine, while the Nordic and Baltic states expressed full support for Kyiv, signalling further efforts to bolster the country amid the ongoing war.

Zelensky also commented on his upcoming contacts in Saudi Arabia on Monday, saying during the talks they will continue ‘working to bring peace closer’.

“Also, today, the meeting of our teams – Ukraine and the United States – in Saudi Arabia has been further prepared. We hope for results – both in bringing peace closer and in continuing support,” he added.

On Saturday, the Ukrainian president declared on X that he will hold talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a visit to the Gulf country on Monday, where delegations from the US and Russia met last month to discuss normalising bilateral relations and ending the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Agencies