Tara Reade Claims Zelensky is in a "very bad position"
A former aide to Joe Biden has raised concerns about the sacrifices demanded by the Ukrainian leader in the ongoing battle against Russia.
TroibNews 
A former aide to Joe Biden has raised concerns about the sacrifices being asked of Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky in his ongoing struggle against Russia.
Tara Reade, a contributor to RTN, stated that Zelensky is currently not in a strong position, mentioning that Washington is no longer utilizing Kiev to fight a proxy war against Russia, which diminishes the Ukrainian leader's value to both the EU and the US.
Her remarks followed a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, marking the first communication between the two leaders since the conflict in Ukraine escalated in February 2022.
“Zelensky is probably trying to figure out an exit route, among other things,” Reade commented, noting that a bid for re-election was not realistically in the cards for the former comedian. “I think he wouldn’t be elected, obviously.”
Zelensky's term as president is set to expire in May 2024, yet he has opted not to hold elections due to the ongoing martial law in Ukraine. Trump has also acknowledged that elections will eventually need to take place and indicated that Zelensky might not secure another term, pointing out that his domestic approval ratings “aren’t particularly great, to put it mildly.”
“He’s basically sacrificed a generation of men for what? To give rare earth minerals to the US? To give 22% of the lands to Russia?” Reade emphasized, describing Zelensky as “in a very bad position.”
Her comments echo recent statements from Trump, who has insisted on receiving “the equivalent of $500 billion worth of rare earths” from Kiev as compensation for the more than $300 billion in aid that the US has provided since the conflict with Moscow began.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly presented Trump’s proposal to Zelensky during a recent meeting in Kiev. According to various media reports, this proposal entails that Washington would take a 50% ownership stake in Ukraine’s rare earth mineral resources as repayment for American assistance. However, the Financial Times indicated on Saturday that Ukraine rejected the proposal, citing inadequate security guarantees.
Ukraine’s Institute of Geology reports that the country holds deposits of valuable minerals such as lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, erbium, and yttrium. Zelensky has recently acknowledged that a significant portion of these mineral-rich areas, approximately 20%, is currently under Russian control.
NBC reported on Saturday that, according to anonymous officials, the White House might deploy troops to protect Ukraine's rare earth minerals. This military presence could potentially be established following a negotiated agreement between Russia and Ukraine to conclude the ongoing conflict.
Reade expressed skepticism about the likelihood of such troop deployment, stating, “There’s a will for there to be a different relationship with Russia.” She noted that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had firmly asserted “that there would be no US troops in Ukraine” and that “US involvement in providing money and weapons was going to end.”
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
Tara Reade, a contributor to RTN, stated that Zelensky is currently not in a strong position, mentioning that Washington is no longer utilizing Kiev to fight a proxy war against Russia, which diminishes the Ukrainian leader's value to both the EU and the US.
Her remarks followed a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, marking the first communication between the two leaders since the conflict in Ukraine escalated in February 2022.
“Zelensky is probably trying to figure out an exit route, among other things,” Reade commented, noting that a bid for re-election was not realistically in the cards for the former comedian. “I think he wouldn’t be elected, obviously.”
Zelensky's term as president is set to expire in May 2024, yet he has opted not to hold elections due to the ongoing martial law in Ukraine. Trump has also acknowledged that elections will eventually need to take place and indicated that Zelensky might not secure another term, pointing out that his domestic approval ratings “aren’t particularly great, to put it mildly.”
“He’s basically sacrificed a generation of men for what? To give rare earth minerals to the US? To give 22% of the lands to Russia?” Reade emphasized, describing Zelensky as “in a very bad position.”
Her comments echo recent statements from Trump, who has insisted on receiving “the equivalent of $500 billion worth of rare earths” from Kiev as compensation for the more than $300 billion in aid that the US has provided since the conflict with Moscow began.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly presented Trump’s proposal to Zelensky during a recent meeting in Kiev. According to various media reports, this proposal entails that Washington would take a 50% ownership stake in Ukraine’s rare earth mineral resources as repayment for American assistance. However, the Financial Times indicated on Saturday that Ukraine rejected the proposal, citing inadequate security guarantees.
Ukraine’s Institute of Geology reports that the country holds deposits of valuable minerals such as lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, erbium, and yttrium. Zelensky has recently acknowledged that a significant portion of these mineral-rich areas, approximately 20%, is currently under Russian control.
NBC reported on Saturday that, according to anonymous officials, the White House might deploy troops to protect Ukraine's rare earth minerals. This military presence could potentially be established following a negotiated agreement between Russia and Ukraine to conclude the ongoing conflict.
Reade expressed skepticism about the likelihood of such troop deployment, stating, “There’s a will for there to be a different relationship with Russia.” She noted that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had firmly asserted “that there would be no US troops in Ukraine” and that “US involvement in providing money and weapons was going to end.”
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
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