The United States is pressuring Ukraine to cough up billions of dollars worth of minerals such as gas and oil in exchange for the aid it has offered in its fight against Russian incursion
Volodymyr Zelensky had an explosive tiff with a senior member of the Donald Trump administration amid war negotiations, insiders claim.
The outburst came during discussions between Zelensky and Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who jetted off to Kyiv to propose a deal involving the trade of Ukraine’s billions of dollars worth of minerals. Bessent was reportedly shaken by the encounter
The Trump administration demands that Kyiv hand over its minerals, including oil and gas, in exchange for the billions the U.S. has provided in aid since February 2022 as it fights Russian incursion.
Pressure from the administration on Kyiv while cozying up to the Kremlin shows a stark shift from the Joe Biden administration, which stood fiercely beside Ukraine against Russia.
Zelensky has described the deal as “selling his country” to Washington as it does not offer Ukraine any security against future Russian aggression and puts a financial burden on future generations of Ukrainians.
An insider told the Financial Times that Zelensky “was very angry” and that his shouting could reportedly be heard from outside the room
On Monday, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Olga Stefanishyna commented on the U.S.-Ukraine deal on X: “Ukrainian and U.S. teams are in the final stages of negotiations regarding the minerals agreement. The negotiations have been very constructive, with nearly all key details finalized.
“We are committed to completing this swiftly to proceed with its signature. We hope both US and UA leaders might sign and endorse it in Washington the soonest to showcase our commitment for decades to come.”
This comes after the Trump administration declared that it would dwindle its support for Kyiv. The administration urged Ukrainian officials to make land concessions and give up NATO aspirations, aligning itself with the Kremlin.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that Moscow will “stop hostilities only when negotiations produce a firm and sustainable result that suits the Russian Federation.” At the same time, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov accused Europe and the U.K. of drawing out the war.
European and Canadian leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have called for a meeting to discuss Ukraine’s future.
The European Union is also reportedly preparing a new defense budget to assist Ukraine, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared last week that he was prepared to deploy troops while pledging billions in aid over the next few years.
