US President Donald Trump suggested that Ukraine “may be Russian someday,” throwing into question the future independence of a sovereign country that, with Western backing, has defended itself against Moscow’s full-scale invasion for nearly three years.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv values President Trump’s “determination” to end the war in Eastern Europe after meeting with Vice President Vance in Germany on Friday. Zelensky said he had a “good” meeting with Vance,