Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that the US-Ukraine economic deal was no longer on the table after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky chose to “blow it up” during the contentious meeting at the White House on Friday.
President Trump was ready to sign the deal with Zelensky on Friday and said the US would continue providing military aid to Ukraine before the Oval Office meeting turned hostile due to Zelensky pressing Vice President JD Vance about the idea of diplomacy with Russia.
“All President Zelensky had to do was come in and sign this economic agreement, and again show no daylight — no daylight — between Ukrainian people and the American people, and he chose to blow that up,” Bessent told CBS News host Margaret Brennan.
The potential deal would give the US access to a fund where Ukraine would place proceeds from its rare earth minerals, natural gas, oil, and other natural resources. While the deal didn’t give Ukraine explicit security guarantees, both Trump and Bessent made clear it would make the US more committed to Ukraine.
Bessent said the purpose of the deal was “to further intertwine the American people and Ukrainian people and show no daylight. To show the Russian leadership that there was no daylight, and President Zelensky came into the Oval Office and tried to relitigate in front of the world the deal.”
After the blow-up in the Oval Office, Zelensky was kicked out of the White House, and reports say President Trump is now considering cutting off all US weapons shipments to Ukraine. For his part, Zelensky says he still wants to sign the deal, although he’s asking for stronger security guarantees.
“We are ready to sign the minerals agreement, and it will be the first step toward security guarantees. But it’s not enough, and we need more than just that. A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine,” Zelensky wrote on X on Saturday.
On Sunday, Zelensky insisted that he believes he can repair relations with the US, although Republicans are rallying behind Trump after the contentious meeting and suggesting Ukraine may need a new leader, even those who have been staunch supporters of Zelensky and the proxy war.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who credits himself with coming up with the idea for the minerals deal, said he was “devastated” by the meeting. “The question for me is, ‘Is he redeemable in the eyes of Americans?’ Most Americans witnessing what they saw today would not want Zelensky to be their business partner, including me, and I’ve been to Ukraine nine times since the war started,” Graham said.
‘Sick to my stomach’: Former Gov. Kasich slams Trump over combative Zelenskyy exchange.
Kasich, who reminded all listeners that his dad was a mailman and RINO extraordinaire.
Kasich has never forgiven Trump for pointing out that he eats like a slob.
Kasich supported Trump, now he’s disgusted by his treachery. MAGA are turning against your beloved convicted felon.
Trump failed to show leadership in that meeting. Russia, China, Iran and North Korea all watch that meeting and will come away with the impression the trump is weak. Trump cutting off aid to Ukraine will play right in to the hands of Putin.
You perpetually fail to show basis sensibility, leftist propagandist.
Hey babbler, your hero Crook Biden never once attempted negotiations. That's the guy with huge corrupt financial international interests. That's your idea of leadership.
Your lack of understanding of international diplomacy is on display. Little wonder why your only reply to the comment was a third grade levels insults.
"Trump failed to show leadership in that meeting."
Yea, if he'd told Ukraine to start throwing its 18-yr-olds into the meat grinder if it wanted more weapons – like Biden and co. did?
Now THAT woulda' been leadership. Huh, tim?
What a childish comment. And you made that comment because you know trump showed is lack of impulse control which will be used against him by Putin and friends.
"What a childish co-
'at's our manly lil' tim-tim – eager to hold ukraine's coat to the last ukraine boy.
March 1, 2025 War Harvesters Bleed Ukraine for Profit
Ukrainians in particular have been duped and propagandized to support a catastrophic war that continues to bleed their country of its youth and its sovereignty. The duplicitous West and its agencies have been the architects of the entire catastrophe.
https://marktanliano.net/war-harvesters-bleed-ukraine-for-profit/
https://marktanliano.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/KovalikNazis.png
"Ukrainians in particular have been duped"
Their greed happened to be stronger than their common sense and their patriotism. Particular the greed of their corrupted elite.
They inherited from USSR a modern industrial country and traded it for the membership in EU. The membership in EU became for them of a greater value than their Christian Church, their culture and relations with their brothers. Essentially, Ukrainians sold their birthright for pottage of lentils.
"…a modern industrial country…"
Bearing in mind, this is by USSR standards at the time.
Some high technological things like, for example, helicopter engines, were of not any lower quality than made in U.S.
Maybe you don't know but Soviet space technology was better than American.
Frick, Soviet / Russian space tech was ALWAYS better and likely still is. They landed s**t on VENUS and it survived an hour ! That place is a hellscape !
Pragmatism + badassery = amazing explorers.
I mean general Soviet industry – outdated tech, poor safety margins, poor designs and manufacture in many cases. Ambition, absolutely. Quality comparable to the West ? Nope.
There’s a great YT mini documentary on the Soviet Concorde / SST program of the ’60s thru ’80s. It is emblematic of this issue.
Now on the battlefields of Ukraine we can see what is better.
In Soviet time many the best high technological things were made in Ukraine
I suppose so. But it is a study with more astericies than a Mark McGwire homerun record. Ukrainian conscripts* barely trained* on superior* NATO* weapon systems up against a Russian Federation military* not fighting an all-out war* in a tactical stalemate* under uncertain conditions* for victory*.
How many Americans are aware of this: https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1896248819547070782
Thanks for your share Warren, I really like Tulsi!
More from the new Director of National Intelligence: https://x.com/charliekirk11/status/1896577417587949884
Has hell frozen over on CNN?: https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1896299067501887936
America has become an Oligarchy, oligarchs own the country and he is one of them, and he acts accordingly.
Trump saved us from oligarchy. The GOP Establishment and Deep State were all set to foist President Jeb Bush on the country until the Donald took the party away from them.
Don’t let them fool you, Trump is one of them. At the inauguration who stood behind him if not billionaires and millionaires? The people who funded his election and influence him surrounded him.
If I was Z, I would not be in a rush to sign the 'minerals deal' with the U.S. either. It's highway robbery. If Z could get over his hatred of Putin, he should make a separate peace deal with Russia and then sell mineral rights to the highest bidder and nullify U.S. debt repayments. I would cite the Lend Lease Act as a precedent for not repaying U.S. debt.
Agreed. Z could get a much better deal for Ukraine from Russia. But he doesn't care about or work for Ukraine.
His term ended some time ago, he is NOT a legal head of state, his signature means nothing, the US is in control in Ukraine since Fe. 2014. The USA is self-serving, they own what is left of Ukraine.
There is a third option. A third candidate for the resource deal that has the dual advantage of being entirely palatable to the Russian Federation and entirely a F**k You to Trump's America.
The Democratic Peoples' Republic of China.
The DPRC has just the right mix of neutrality, resource hunger, and capital.
That's a great idea, except that Putin does not recognize Zelensky's legitimacy and that Zelensky has legally forbidden himself from negotiating with Russia in any way.
One of my favorites.
Ukraine lost its sovereignty in Feb. 2014.
"The coup was the temporary culmination of long-standing efforts by US imperialism to install a puppet regime on the borders of Russia and brought the world a major step closer to a war between the largest nuclear powers, the US and Russia. The regime change prompted the outbreak of an ongoing civil war in the east of Ukraine, between Russian-backed separatists and the US-backed Ukrainian army, that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands and displaced millions."
Ukraine has no legal government now, it is a failed state and Zelensky is nothing, he will be lucky if he gets out alive.
Trump and MAGA and most Americans were up in arms when illegal immigrants poured into this nation the last five years. What is so different about Russia's concern for its own borders? USA has given Israel BILLIONS of dollars because Hamas invaded and took hostages on October 7, 2023 (there were no mass rapes or baby killings). The USA did not keep its word to Russia with regards to possible Ukranian NATO membership. And Americans are supposed to jump on board and support this insane hypocrisy? Borders for thee, but not for thee!
"What is so different about Russia's concern for its own borders" I missed the part where Ukrainians were illegal entering Russia.
D. Trump has again tried to apply his 'art of the steal' to foreign policy with another disaster. Attempting to rob a devastated nation of its mineral resources is not only cowardly but it is also stupid.
Now, everything is a mess. Europeans will try to prolong the Ukraine-Russia war by providing Ukraine with more military aid and possibly soldiers, and peace will again be delayed.
The Ukrainian people are the biggest losers in that chicken game.
And Putin the winner.
Yeah! Greenland is lost in Ukraine. Now Trump is saying: "look immigrants" to try to distract his own supporters from this terrible fiasco while all of NATO is posturing along Ukraine, probably more concerned about anti-Europe tariffs than anything else but regardless. Putin is baffled (who I have to talk with even?), Lavrov is angry, Soros is laughing.
The spokescritter for the Russian foreign ministry when asked for a response to Rump's "peace plan" just looked puzzled and said essentially, "We have no response because we still haven't seen anything from Washington."
Lot's of blah-blah-blah, but no actual action. Typical for this Sadministration, which has the foreign policy chops of a turnip.
All President Zelensky had to do was come in and sign this economic agreement, and again show no daylight — no daylight — between Ukrainian people and the American people, and he chose to blow that up,” Bessent told CBS News host Margaret Brennan.
Translation: All he had to do was kiss King Donald's ass and he would have got what he wanted.
More accurate metaphor: The Donald was looking to grease him with his bigly.
Mar 2, 2025 Ukraine DESPERATELY Regretting Not Signing 2022 Peace Deal!
In 2022, shortly after Russian troops rolled across the border into the Donbas region of Ukraine, negotiators for both sides met and hammered out an agreement to end the fighting — a deal that would have maintained the Donbas as a semi-autonomous region of Ukraine and let Ukraine proceed with plans to join the EU. Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky turned down the deal, however, at the behest of NATO, and now the Ukrainian people are dealing with the fallout of this terrible decision.
https://youtu.be/68DZhuOXM8I?si=sgL9s1xGnwXm2Wd9
It is true that a final draft of the Istanbul agreement in mid-April 2022 came very close to end the conflict.
However, things fell on the details. The devil is often in the details.
Not only was there to be permanent neutrality for Ukraine and a withdrawal of Russian troops from the Donbas region, (the two basic requirements), Ukraine requested some security guarantee.
Things fell apart when Zelensky requested that the US be also a member of a group of countries to supervise the agreement.
This was an impossible demand because there was no way the Biden administration would acquiesce.
”To a hammer?…. Everything looks like a nail?!”
Chastising should be done in private, not in public!….
The little grifter can't keep up with a skilled grifter the size of Trump. So the little dog dared to bark at the big one in public.
Zelensky has nothing to lose, he is lucky if he gets out alive.
It looks, neocons instructed Zelensky to be rude with Trump. Trump's and Vance's reaction was quite predictable. Now we have kind of anti-Trump alliance of neocons and EU leaders. They are very much unhappy about the normalization of U.S.- Russia relations.
How can one, single person (Zelensky) sign away his nation's natural assets?
He is not even in charge, the US controls Ukraine, Biden made decisions for Ukraine. Before the conflict started the Russians contacted the Biden administration trying to avoid the conflict, not Zelensky, and now Trump does the same.
Biden ended all Ukrainian/Russian diplomacy. Zelensky had no permission to decide anything, to negotiate with Putin was off limits for him, he even signed a law making it illegal to negotiate with Putin.
Maybe Trump needs some cause to justify his demand for Ukrainian minerals from the Russian occupied Ukraine?
Trump is a blood sucking vulture who always cries how he is being mistreated by the people he is bullying.
The whole thing is so crazy, it is like the mad house were the inmates are lose.
What ever happened to common sense and decency?
Apparently the USA does not control Ukraine anymore, and least not the official USA (Soros clique may still be influential, they invested lots on that). Right now the USA doesn't control much TBH, all NATO "allies" are revolting and lining up besides Zelensky. Posturing surely to some extent but also a major rift in NATO.
I see it as the fight between the oligarchs, how best getting the paws on the prey.
In Germany the potential chancellor is a former BlackRock CEO, he was in charge of the German/ European private equity investments. That IMHO is a huge CONFLICT of INTERESTS. He is another oligarch with political power, he supports continuing the war, it has been reported that Zelensky has already sold Ukrainian assets to BlackRock , trillions of $$$ investments WW.
MHO the EU and NATO are done. Two almost dead horses. The NATO can not croak fast enough, the EU I hope can be reformed and without the UK/US will be much better, helping Europe to recover from this historical disaster.
It is indeed a conflict between oligarchs and their political puppets, of course. But we thrive in the cracks of Capitalism/Imperialism, so let’s them fight…
NATO is probably done but I would not bet for the collapse of the EU: it’s much colder outside, ask in London if you don’t believe me. Not a single EU member is planning to leave the EU, not even Orban’s Hungary!, they all know they need the pack to survive.
And the EU needs a real housecleaning and reforms, I do support the EU, it is a great Union when it had fewer members and started out as the Montane Union.
Another problem is the same low life leadership as all current democracies have to deal with. They need common sense leaders with character, integrity and vision, all they have is trash, much what we have.
Radically so. Our main problem is lack of proper leadership: all our politicians (or almost so) are corrupt treacherous scum, we totally lack statesmen since at least the days of Schröder.
The Division between US and Europe is always good for the world…! Encourages the multi polarity…!
He has the backing of a Parliament (Duma), especially after purging the regionalists, communists, socialists, etc. Typical Hitler, you know.
Duma is in Russia. In Ukraine they call it Rada.
I stand corrected, thanks.
MAGA
Gaslighting
Couch-doing
Loyalist-hiring
Anger-riling
Idiots
"…and again show no daylight — no daylight — between Ukrainian people and the American people."
Indeed – only darkness. Unfathomable darkness in the absence of daylight.
This is a scenario in which "there is a light at the end of tunnel" doesn't apply…! It would be another tunnel…!
https://x.com/MarkSimoneNY/status/1896575212457697568
Basically Zelensky was willing to give away Ukraine's riches in exchange of something, almost anything, security guarantees… but Trump is such a brute that could not even concede to that. Art of the deal, they say. Hah!
Alastair Crooke on Judging Freedom this morning suggests the basic problem for Trump (and realized by Trump in the argument Friday) is that the core motivation of Zelensky is to stay in power, as The Leader–by continuing the fighting/war. His European advisors had urged him to be strong and confront Trump, then congratulated him when he returned to Europe. All this emboldened him. Z's latest comments indicate he sees himself as a strong contender in any upcoming election. (But not if he's dead I think.)
ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS1zxRqfRQU
I wonder who did he learn that from…?!
It really is obscene that the core motivation of your Basic Leader today is Quest for Self-Glory and whatever else you can get out of it.
The basic problem for Trump is that he’s not diplomatic and thus can’t lead anyone to whatever his goals are. He manages to insult everyone all the time because he’s only catering for his domestic MAGA base and nobody outside the USA has any interest in MAGA.
The explosion has EVERYTHING to do with minerals deal.
Trump is not uninformed, and knew — along with many analysts that bothered to look up UK official site — that Zelenski ALREADY signed the minerals deal with Starmer in their “100 year” agreement.
Not just minerals but ports and gas infrastructure.
Trump was not the one to cross or make a fool of. Zelenski thought he could sell the SAME minerals again by inserting a clause that protects “previous agreements” ie British. And shaming US into giving him what Starmer and Macron alredy asked for — “security” deal.
So Europe can provide bodies for continuing the war. Of course Zelenski does not want peace, for as long as gravy train rolls along and he has supporters in Europe. And for as long as Russia has pretty much limited its operations more or less on flushing out Zelenski military out of fortifications built inside Russian speaking townships and villages.
Zelenski is OK with that level of warfare, just needs European bodies and US guarantees to those bodies — to continue the grind. That this is risking WWIII
is not his problem. After him — flood or nuclear darkness.
Zelenski thought that the worse thing that could have happened — was the disagreement on the minerals deal. No harm done. He would have looked like a president protecting his country’s assets against greedy Trump
He did not expect Trump to exact his revenge in this public manner. Exposing him as a grifter interested only in continuing this war. Zelenski was not clever enough to at least PRETEND like he is interested in peace. Instead he slammed Vance, by ridiculing diplomacy as a failed approach. Basically, ridiculing Trump for talking to Russia and exploring pathways to Ukraine-Russia talks.
Not only that he ridiculed the idea of diplomacy, but even ceasefire was not to his liking without the Big Dunmy, US offering Ukraine full protection first. Before committing himself to any talks at all!
Trumo and Vance surely expected that Zelenski in his arrogance would give them an opening, Sure enough he did. When the moment occurred, they exposed Ukrainian measures to round men up on the streets. Trump indirectly warned the Brits, French and others who are volunteering their soldiers to Ukraine to make up the numbers.
Nobody even suggested to end the war. But Ukraine and Europeans think US should be there to give them carte blanche to pursue the war against Russia. And American money, weapons and air protection.
Trump was set up to provide “security guarantees” for “peacekeepers” when there is no peace to keep. Basically, combatants.
Europeans want NATO in Ukraine. boots on the ground, even though Russia was objecting to Ukraine MEMBERSHIP to Ukraine. This of course is a deliberate provocation and guaranteed escallation.
Unfortunatelly, looking at US press coverage, Trump derangement syndrome is alive and kicking. To the point of NOT noticing that Europe is playing US for a fool. In fact I would go as far as Europeans COUNTING on American media political patterns and Trump hate to get support for their intrigues.
Fascinating!
In such case, Trump and those who are salivating together with him at Ukrainian natural resources worth of $20 trillions, should be interested in Russian conquest of all Ukraine from Donbass to Hungary. Putin told already that after the normalization, American companies would be welcome.
Where did the $20 trillion come from…?!
Lady Lindsey…?!
This is already under way, as Russia has by far more rare earth minerals than Ukraine.
Far from being the one justifying Western colonialism and greed -.in the case of rare earth minerals, I agree US needs to do something.
China produces 80% of minerals. China knows this is not sustainable in the long run, as US has to adress its vulnerability. Production is extremely damaging to the environment so China produces a lot in sparsely populated Outer Mongolia and elsewhere.
Russia simply did not have economic incentive to produce even though suitable locations can be found. Buying from China is most economical in the economiy under sanctions and hard choices to make. .
US has rare earths — but will not exploit them due to environmental concerns. It is a win-win-win, as China would be more than happy to have vulnerable US at its tail.
Trump mineral deal was just an offer of US economic involvement, thus a guarantor, and an interested party in Ukraine peace.
Naturally , European snakes think otherwise. Having allies in American anational liberal elites, they sense an opportunity.
Zelenski deliberately torpedoed Trump’s offer of peace making by ridiculing even a notion of diplomacy with evil Russia.
What the Europeans did not expect was that Zelenski instead of politely refusing Trump peace overtures — made a mistake of not playing chess but turning over the table in an uncontrolled , endless talking over people. He got his just deserts,
Now Trump has backing by his voters – and is doubling down on Russian normalization.
Ukrainian fertile land is a poor choice of mineral exploration. And Zelenski already sold it to Starmer in his recrntly signed Ukraune-UK “100 year pact”. Not just minerals but ports and gas infrastructure.
Britain is doubling down in trying to get US into war against Russia in Ukraine, i guess refighting Crimean War, and possibly another “Charge of the Light Brigade”.
US Democrsts and the media helpers better understand that Europe dragged US into two wars. Those may have been profitable for US – but third time is not a charm.
It's not about rare earth deposits because there is no large viable rare deposits in Ukraine, see investor news . com. My contention is that all sides know this US, Ukraine, Russia and Europe. So then what is the hidden goal?
The Western powers are suffering under an outbreak of contagious dementia, a pandemic, not a sane man or woman left standing.
But soooo fun to watch! I thought that the collapse of NATO would be like that of the Warsaw Pact… but, as Engels said of Napoleon III: history seems to repeat twice, first as grand tragedy, then as farce.
Schadenfreude, the best Freude there is.
Very German thing to say. But I admit to such German sin on this occasion.
Appreciated.
"Treasury Sec: Ukraine Minerals Deal Not on Table After Zelensky ‘Blew It Up’"
Z handed bill for blown up table, watchfully escorted off White House premises
Would that mean the minerals focus is now back in Canada and Greenland…?!
It is, I believe, in D.R. Congo, which is one of the biggest mines on Earth. While Zelensky was "being disrespectful" to the Orange Emperor, Tshisekedi seems to have achieved discreetly what he could not by means of war: get rid of his arch-rival and sub-imperialist aggressor Paul Kagame, who has suddenly gone ill and flown to somewhere (Europe?) for treatment while Rwanda is being drowned in western sanctions. For that, I understand, Tshisekedi had to give away the mineral riches of the former "free state".
Canada and "Greenland" (Denmark) are rallying behind Zelensky, who has become suddenly the third stool leg of the renewed Anglo-French Ententè (which is oddly enough the core of NATO). All NATO (save Orban and more discreetly Fico) is against Trump: his greed and uncouth manners, trying to sideline and bully everyone, have backfired so much that now the man at the Oval Office is trying to rally his supporters by redirecting their attention to the migrant scapegoat.
“We should spend less time worrying about Putin, and more time worrying about migrant rape gangs, drug lords, murderers, and people from mental institutions entering our Country – So that we don’t end up like Europe!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday.
Ref. https://www.rt.com/news/613622-waltz-zelensky-time-ukraine/
"…and people from mental institutions entering our Country…"
Indeed. One might end up as President.
Or rather as his sidekick Dogie Kid, Lord of Lithium, son of Emeralds, cousin of Dr. Strangelove.
Indeed…! Delusionalism should be declared as an official sickness and a cure should be researched by pharma industry…!
Big p-Harm-a could use a new cash cow, to be fair. Their last one has pretty much completely dried up.
The plus side being, now new drugs don’t need years of safety and efficacy studies. Blend something up, use live human trials as your research, and bury the results that show negative outcomes. The federal government’s got you covered.
Correct…! Let Trump be the guinea pig…!
Too much attention on Europe …! That's not gonna cut it at least for the rest of the world… I am rooting for US quitting NATO…!
Who else is active in Europe but Europeans, Angloamericans (not just the USA, also Canada, which is taking the Euro side) and maybe Turkey on the fringes? What China or India think on the Ukraine war matters very little.
I don't know that Orban and Fico are as much anti-Rump, since they opposed Biden before him as well. They're not even anti-US or pro-EU, they're both nationalists who are trying to avoid the energy apocalypse being experienced by the rest of Europe in the absence of affordable energy. Some places in Europe consumers are being charged five times the 2019 cost to heat their homes this winter.
Orban is absolutely pro-Trump, pro-Putin and pro-Israel. He’s also a decades-long “democratic dictator” who is very much against worker rights, against immigrants (no matter nobody wants to emigrate to Hungary, except maybe as transit place) and ultra-conservative.
Fico is a very different story: he’s a leftist (and generally speaking Slovakia has a much stronger socialist tendency than its neighbors), much like Wagenknech or other “culturally conservative socialists”. He’s therefore neither pro-Trump, nor pro-Putin, nor pro-Israel but he wants peace and normalization of relations with both Ukraine and Russia. Both share some interests in Ukraine’s Transcarpathia, which is a region with many Hungarians and Slovaks, who also suffer racist persecution and denial of self-rule by the Maidan Regime, a territory that IMO would be much better off if independent.
I don’t think Fico can be called “nationalist”, except in the most humble sense of the word. Slovakia is its own thing but it’s not particularly “nationalist”, they rather fall in the internationalist side of things, very open people, I like that little nation more than any other in Eastern Europe, really (except maybe Greece?) I detest Orban but I like Fico, they are very different.
When is Zelenski going to put this in his empty head…?! Russia doesn't want just a Ceasefire…!