US President Donald Trump has criticized Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky for allegedly treating US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent disrespectfully during his recent visit to Kiev. According to Trump, Zelensky was unavailable to meet with Bessent, who had traveled from the US to finalize a minerals deal, leading to the collapse of negotiations.
Trump claimed that Zelensky was asleep and refused to meet with Bessent, causing the senior US official’s trip to be in vain. The proposed agreement would have granted the US privileged access to natural resources under Ukrainian control, which Trump believed was necessary compensation for years of American support in Ukraine’s conflict with Russia.
Despite the apparent snub from Zelensky, Bessent and the Ukrainian leader did meet on February 12. However, negotiations fell through as Zelensky refused to sign the agreement brought by Bessent, citing concerns about security guarantees and national interests. The US is now considering a revised version of the deal that could be agreed upon more quickly.
The mineral arrangement was initially proposed by Zelensky as part of his ‘victory plan’ presented to then-President Joe Biden and Trump before the November election. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham reportedly encouraged Kiev to include the proposal to resonate with Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda.
Trump has since expressed his desire to revive the minerals deal, with anonymous sources suggesting that Washington is considering a streamlined treaty that could be agreed upon quickly. The US president views the rejection of the original agreement as a breach of trust and has accused Zelensky of lying about Ukraine’s mineral reserves.
The US-Ukraine minerals deal has been a contentious issue in recent weeks, with both sides accusing each other of mishandling negotiations. As talks continue, both countries face pressure to reach an agreement that satisfies their respective interests while maintaining a strong bilateral relationship.