Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had already twice refused to signal a minerals cope with america.
“This must be one of many best diplomatic mishaps of all time by President Zelensky,” Bessent stated in an interview Friday with Laura Ingraham, host of Fox Information’ “The Ingraham Angle.”
Bessent defined that Zelensky informed him throughout a gathering in Kyiv that he wouldn’t signal a mineral deal, which might alternate billions of {dollars} in US support funding for uncommon earths and different sources from Ukraine. Zelensky additionally refused to shut the cope with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Bessent said.
On Friday, Trump and Vance reprimanded Zelensky in full view of reporters, with cameras rolling. The tense alternate led to a canceled assembly between Zelensky and Trump.
“It was alleged to be an amazing day and this is likely one of the largest personal targets in diplomatic historical past,” Bessent stated, referencing a soccer time period about scoring in opposition to your individual workforce.
“At present, I used to be shocked that he would behave like this on digicam in entrance of the world,” he added.
On the social media web site X, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. posted, “Zelensky might have signed the deal 5 days earlier however needed to return to the White Home. He’d been tough for 2 weeks. But he needed the White Home assembly. Trump was upbeat about it even simply the day earlier than publicly and privately the day of. Though he might have reset the entire thing, Zelensky was antagonistic and excessive.”
Schmitt concluded, “He had a one foot putt however was extra fascinated with litigating points that ought to be mentioned behind closed doorways (and have been) in public.”
Trump posted to his Fact Social account shortly after the assembly that Zelensky was “not prepared for Peace.”
“We had a really significant assembly within the White Home as we speak,” Trump wrote. “A lot was discovered that would by no means be understood with out dialog beneath such fireplace and stress.”
“Thanks, America, thanks to your assist, thanks for this go to,” Zelensky posted to X on Friday afternoon. “Thanks @POTUS, Congress, and the American folks. Ukraine wants simply and lasting peace, and we’re working precisely for that.”
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