Kremlin says 'significant part of Ukraine wants to be Russia'

MOSCOW: The Kremlin said Tuesday that a "significant part" of Ukraine "wants to be Russia," hours after US President Donald Trump floated the idea that Ukraine "may be Russian someday."

Addressing the three-year conflict between Moscow and Kyiv in a Fox News interview that aired Monday, Trump said: "(Ukraine) may make a deal, they may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that the situation in Ukraine "largely corresponds to President Trump's words."

"The fact that a significant part of Ukraine wants to become Russia, and has already, is a fact," he told reporters, referring to Moscow's 2022 annexation of four Ukrainian regions.

"Any phenomenon can happen with a 50 per cent probability, either yes or no," Peskov added.

Trump has made ending the fighting one of his priorities for his first months in the White House.

Moscow has welcomed his focus on ending the conflict and Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is ready for direct talks with Trump on a possible agreement.

Kyiv fears that any settlement that does not include hard military commitments for its security such as Nato membership or the deployment of Western peacekeeping troops will just allow the Kremlin time to regroup and rearm for a fresh offensive.