Rubio Says Trump Is ‘very upset’ with Zelensky
Donald Trump is expressing frustration with Vladimir Zelensky following disputes regarding a proposed mineral resource agreement, according to Marco Rubio. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The secretary of state has reported that the Ukrainian leader has changed his position on a proposed mineral resource agreement with the United States, causing tensions to rise.
According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US President Donald Trump is "very upset" with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky due to this disagreement regarding mineral rights.
Tensions have escalated as Trump labeled Zelensky a "dictator without elections," accusing him of mishandling the conflict with Russia and misappropriating American aid. Zelensky’s presidential term concluded last spring, and he has declined to call for new elections, citing martial law. Moscow refutes Zelensky’s legitimacy, claiming that authority now resides with the Ukrainian parliament.
In an interview with Canadian-American journalist Catherine Herridge on Thursday, Rubio expressed that "President Trump is very upset at President Zelensky – and rightfully so."
Rubio mentioned that he "was personally very upset" about the discussions between US officials and Zelensky concerning a potential deal that would allow the US to access Ukraine's extensive mineral resources, indicating that Zelensky's stance had shifted abruptly.
The secretary noted that American officials sought to reassure Zelensky, saying, “we want to be in a joint venture with you – not because we’re trying to steal from your country, but because we think that’s actually a security guarantee.” They emphasized the desire to recoup some of the financial support provided to Ukraine.
Rubio recounted, "He said, sure, we want to do this deal; it makes all the sense in the world – the only thing is I need to run it through my legislative process... I read two days later that Zelensky is out there saying: I rejected the deal." He added, "that’s not what happened in that meeting."
Rubio articulated the need for "some level of gratitude" from Ukraine and described Zelensky's public accusations against Trump as "very counterproductive," particularly in light of Trump’s assertion that Zelensky's approval rating is at 4%.
While Zelensky has not directly responded to Trump's "dictator" comments, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga emphasized that "the Ukrainian people and their President Zelensky refused to give in to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s pressure,” affirming that “nobody can force Ukraine to give up.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov weighed in on the dispute, suggesting that officials in Kiev are making “absolutely unacceptable statements about other states,” and noted that the decline in Zelensky's popularity is an “absolutely obvious trend.”
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US President Donald Trump is "very upset" with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky due to this disagreement regarding mineral rights.
Tensions have escalated as Trump labeled Zelensky a "dictator without elections," accusing him of mishandling the conflict with Russia and misappropriating American aid. Zelensky’s presidential term concluded last spring, and he has declined to call for new elections, citing martial law. Moscow refutes Zelensky’s legitimacy, claiming that authority now resides with the Ukrainian parliament.
In an interview with Canadian-American journalist Catherine Herridge on Thursday, Rubio expressed that "President Trump is very upset at President Zelensky – and rightfully so."
Rubio mentioned that he "was personally very upset" about the discussions between US officials and Zelensky concerning a potential deal that would allow the US to access Ukraine's extensive mineral resources, indicating that Zelensky's stance had shifted abruptly.
The secretary noted that American officials sought to reassure Zelensky, saying, “we want to be in a joint venture with you – not because we’re trying to steal from your country, but because we think that’s actually a security guarantee.” They emphasized the desire to recoup some of the financial support provided to Ukraine.
Rubio recounted, "He said, sure, we want to do this deal; it makes all the sense in the world – the only thing is I need to run it through my legislative process... I read two days later that Zelensky is out there saying: I rejected the deal." He added, "that’s not what happened in that meeting."
Rubio articulated the need for "some level of gratitude" from Ukraine and described Zelensky's public accusations against Trump as "very counterproductive," particularly in light of Trump’s assertion that Zelensky's approval rating is at 4%.
While Zelensky has not directly responded to Trump's "dictator" comments, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga emphasized that "the Ukrainian people and their President Zelensky refused to give in to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s pressure,” affirming that “nobody can force Ukraine to give up.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov weighed in on the dispute, suggesting that officials in Kiev are making “absolutely unacceptable statements about other states,” and noted that the decline in Zelensky's popularity is an “absolutely obvious trend.”
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
