Three days ago, a meeting took place in Washington between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Presidents of the United States and Ukraine discussed a potential agreement regarding a partnership for the exploitation of Ukraine’s natural resources. However, the meeting between the two leaders ended in a dispute. Ultimately, no economic agreement was signed.
On Sunday, the U.S. Treasury Secretary was asked about the status of the agreement during an interview with CBS. Scott Bessent stated that the proposal is no longer under consideration.
“It’s impossible to have an economic deal without a peace deal. The sine qua non for an economic deal, is that Ukrainian leadership wants a peace deal,”
Bessent said.
He further added that President Zelenskyy “has thrown off the sequencing” of events with his conduct during Friday’s meeting at the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump.
“What’s the use in having an economic agreement that’s going to be rendered moot if he wants the fighting to continue?”
he asked.
Later, he affirmed that the agreement is ”not at present” on the table.
Asked if the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal is still on the table after President Trump's explosive meeting with Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says, "It's impossible to have an economic deal without a peace deal."
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) March 2, 2025
He says Zelenskyy has… pic.twitter.com/RKmCUcHR6s