RUSH EXCERPT:
HOFFMAN: "So, I think it’s very significant and it’s very consistent with President Trump’s strategy to tray to end this war. He has tried unsuccessfully so far, but not for lack of trying, to entice Russia to a cease-fire or a negotiated settlement with an offer of economic opportunity to reduce or even to eliminate altogether the sanctions against Russia. And Russia, Vladimir Putin hasn’t been interested in stopping his brutal war on Ukraine. Now, this deal with Ukraine is that, that Ukraine has made this deal for rare earth minerals. It’s an extremely valuable opportunity, a partnership between the United States and Ukraine. We need rare earth minerals, titanium for our aircraft, and lithium for batteries. It’s a good deal for both parties, but I also think that it’s not a deal that’s going to get started, excavation and mapping, until there’s a cease-fire. And so it’s a good deal, but it won’t actually start to move in the right direction until we have a cease-fire."