U.S. Treasury Secretary Gives Update on Ukraine Deal
On March 4, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News that there are no plans to sign a mineral resources deal with Ukraine after President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress.
This statement comes after earlier reports suggested that Trump would announce the agreement during his upcoming address. The deal was supposed to be finalized during President Volodymyr Zelensky‘s visit to the White House on February 28. However, the meeting turned into a public clash between Trump and Zelensky, with Trump accusing the Ukrainian president of disrespecting the U.S.
The heated exchange led to Zelensky leaving the White House without signing the deal. Since then, there have been conflicting reports about the status of the mineral resources agreement. On March 3, Trump told reporters that a proposed economic deal between the U.S. and Ukraine remained on the table, but stressed that Zelensky needed to show more appreciation for U.S. support.
Trump also criticized former President Joe Biden for sending $300 billion to Ukraine without receiving much in return. When asked if the mineral resources deal was off, Trump replied, “I don’t think so.”
U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick recently stated that the U.S. and Ukraine are still making progress on a key mineral agreement. He believes that the deal will be signed soon, which would lead to a strong long-term economic partnership between the two countries and pave the way for further security assistance.
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