New Delhi, Feb. 24 -- US President Donald Trump has stated that a deal for Ukraine's rare earth metals is "pretty close," insisting that the US should be reimbursed for the billions of dollars in military and financial aid it has provided. Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland, Trump argued that while other countries structured their aid as loans, the US had not.

"I want them to give us something for all the money we put up," Trump told the audience. "So we're asking for rare earth and oil-anything we can get!"

Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, echoed his stance, stating that he also believed a deal would be reached soon.

"We're going to get our money back because it's not fair," Trump...