Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Reveals This Is the Third Time Zelensky Has Backed Out of Mineral Deal

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed in an exclusive interview with Laura Ingraham on The Ingraham Angle that this is the third time Zelensky has refused to sign a mineral agreement, leaving U.S. officials stunned.

Bessent, who has been instrumental in facilitating economic partnerships between the U.S. and Ukraine under President Trump’s administration, detailed how Zelensky’s erratic behavior has put critical negotiations in jeopardy.

The agreement, which would have secured billions in U.S. aid in exchange for access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, was expected to cement a stronger economic and strategic alliance between the two nations.

“This has to be one of the greatest diplomatic mishaps of all time by President Zelensky,” Bessent stated during his interview.

He recounted how Zelensky initially refused to sign the deal during a direct meeting with him in Kyiv. Subsequently, Zelensky dodged similar negotiations with Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Laura Ingraham:
I know you had an economic meeting scheduled a few weeks back with President Zelensky. Tell us about his arrival and punctuality—or lack thereof. It seemed like he was a little sleepy during the events.

Scott Bessent:
Yeah, Laura. I went all the way to Kyiv because I thought it was important. President Trump sent me there to, again, bring the Ukrainian people closer to the U.S. and send a strong signal to Russian leadership that we not only shared values but now shared economic interests. It was also a signal to the American people that their tax dollars were actually going to work.

Instead, President Zelensky and I had a very, very tough 45-minute meeting at a very loud decibel level. I kept telling him, “Mr. President, the purpose of this is to show the Russians there is no daylight between us.” At the end of the meeting, he said, “Well, I’m not signing this.”

I asked him, “What do you want to go out and tell the press? Because I don’t want to go out and show the Russians there’s daylight between us.” He said, “Well, I’m going to go out and say I’ll sign it in Munich.”

Then he got to Munich, ran into Vice President Vance and Secretary Rubio—very different from Vice President Harris and Secretary Blinken—but he didn’t sign the agreement.

Finally, we were supposed to have the signing. It was supposed to be a great day, and this is one of the biggest own goals in diplomatic history.

[…]

But I have to tell you, Laura, today, I was shocked that he would behave like this on camera, in front of the world. If he had issues he wanted to bring up with President Trump, the proper venue for that would have been 15 minutes later. We were going to walk into the White House dining room and have lunch—just 16 of us—and he could have voiced his concerns privately.

I actually think the Democratic side of the ledger is saying, “Oh, this was a setup. Vice President Vance and President Trump set up President Zelensky.” I actually think he was always going to do this, and I think he was surprised by the forceful reaction he got back.

WATCH:

.@SecScottBessent on President Zelenskyy: “This is one of the biggest ‘own goals’ in diplomatic history.” pic.twitter.com/ftXutYqsEp

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 1, 2025

Meanwhile, Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) shared his insight on Zelensky’s actions, criticizing the Ukrainian president for his blatant disrespect toward the United States.

He wrote on X:

Zelenskyy could have signed the deal five days earlier but wanted to come to the White House.

He’d been difficult for two weeks. Yet he wanted the White House meeting. Trump was upbeat about it even just the day before publicly and privately the day of.

Although he could have reset the whole thing Zelenskyy was antagonistic and over the top.

There are no more cards to play. No more “it could be your sons next” or “one more year and we’ll have them on their knees.”

America has to move to our core interests now: Homeland and China.

All he had to do was smile for the cameras, sign the minerals deal and have lunch. That’s it. He couldn’t do it. He failed his country and the relatively standard practice for an Oval Office meeting like this.

There are now serious questions if we can even deal with him. He blew it.

He had a one foot putt but was more interested in litigating issues that should be discussed behind closed doors (and have been) in public.

It is in the national interest of the U.S. for there to be a peace deal. Now.

Trump ran on this. It’s not a surprise.

There will be no more money for war there. Not from us.

Now is the time for peace.

Zelenskyy could have signed the deal five days earlier but wanted to come to the White House.

He’d been difficult for two weeks. Yet he wanted the White House meeting. Trump was upbeat about it even just the day before publicly and privately the day of.

Although he could have…

— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) March 1, 2025

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