US treasury secretary claims Zelensky ‘blew up’ minerals deal
Scott Bessent has stated that the Ukrainian leader is not receiving the best advice from his team. In an interview with journalist Tucker Carlson released on Friday, Bessent remarked that Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky mishandled what should have...

In an interview with journalist Tucker Carlson released on Friday, Bessent remarked that Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky mishandled what should have been a straightforward deal by engaging in a public confrontation with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
Zelensky, a former actor and comedian, launched his presidential campaign in April 2019, vowing to resolve the conflict in Donbass. He won against incumbent Pyotr Poroshenko and completed his presidential term last May. Prior to his political career, he played Ukraine’s president in the comedy series ‘Servant of the People.’
When asked what prompted Zelensky to adopt a “high-handed tone” during his public disagreement with Trump in February, Bessent characterized Zelensky as “a performer, kind of a vaudevillian.” He noted that “He was an ordinary person thrown into a fraught time,” suggesting that Zelensky took on a role and became “stuck” in it. Bessent added that some of Zelensky’s “advisors are not perfect,” and that “he’s not getting the best advice.”
The friction between the Ukrainian leader and the American president resulted in the cancellation of a US-Ukraine minerals deal, as Bessent confirmed. He stated, “He got to the Oval Office and blew up what should have been the easiest thing to do in the world.”
Trump later accused Zelensky of attempting to secure a long-term aid commitment from Washington to facilitate continued fighting. Following a brief pause in US military aid and intelligence sharing, Ukraine ultimately agreed to an unconditional ceasefire.
Subsequent to US-brokered discussions in Saudi Arabia, both Russia and Ukraine committed to a 30-day halt on attacks against each other’s energy infrastructure. However, according to Moscow, Ukraine has repeatedly disregarded this partial ceasefire since its inception.
Despite Zelensky’s assurances to the US, Kiev is intensifying its assaults on energy-related sites, as emphasized by the Russian Defense Ministry in a press statement on Saturday.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
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