Treasury Secretary Rips Zelenskyy Over Failed White House Visit

Treasury Secretary Bessent has called out Volodymyr Zelenskyy, blaming him for tensions following a contentious Oval Office meeting.

Key Takeaways

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has suggested he doesn’t have a strong outlook of a major economic deal after Zelenskyy “chose to blow that up” during a heated White House meeting.
The meeting was cut short after Zelenskyy expressed doubts about Putin honoring any potential peace agreement, leading to a confrontation with President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.
Despite the fallout, Zelenskyy argued over the weekend that Ukraine was “ready to sign” the economic agreement while seeking additional security assurances.
Bessent indicated that an economic deal requires a peace deal first, creating a sequencing disagreement between the US and Ukrainian leadership.
Senator Mark Kelly described the diplomatic breakdown as a “dumpster fire of diplomacy” that ultimately benefits Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump has pressed pause on aid to Ukraine for now.

Critical Minerals Deal Collapses After Tense Oval Office Meeting

What was intended to be a show of unity between the United States and Ukraine instead became a diplomatic failure, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy left Washington without signing the anticipated multibillion-dollar critical minerals agreement. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” that the economic deal’s failure is on Zelenskyy following a contentious meeting at the White House. The planned economic agreement was meant to strengthen US-Ukraine security ties amid ongoing tensions with Russia, but instead highlighted growing strains in the relationship between the two nations.

“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 said.

According to Treasury Secretary Bessent, the breakdown occurred after Zelenskyy attempted to “relitigate” terms of engagement in front of assembled media. The meeting reportedly turned hostile when the Ukrainian President expressed skepticism about Russian President Vladimir Putin honoring any potential peace agreement. This led to President Trump and Vice President JD Vance berating Zelenskyy, resulting in Zelenskyy being asked to leave the White House without signing the minerals deal that had been in preparation for weeks.

On the evening of March 3, Trump even went so far as to pause aid to Ukraine with a U.S. official stating that the pause will stay in place until Ukraine shows that it wants peace.

Disagreement Centers on Peace vs. Economic Priorities

At the core of the dispute is a fundamental disagreement about sequencing priorities. The Trump administration, through Treasury Secretary Bessent, says that a peace agreement must come before any significant economic deal. “President Zelenskyy has thrown off the sequencing,” Bessent stated. This stance represents a significant departure from previous U.S. policy toward Ukraine, placing peace negotiations ahead of economic support, despite Ukraine’s continued battlefield struggles against Russian forces.

Republican Representative Mike Turner criticized Zelenskyy’s behavior as “inappropriate,” while Democratic Senator Mark Kelly described the incident as a “dumpster fire of diplomacy” while largely blaming Trump and Vance for the incident. Kelly argued that the public confrontation made the United States look weak and ultimately benefited Putin’s strategic objectives. The breakdown has raised concerns about America’s diplomatic standing and its commitment to supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression.

Zelenskyy Expresses Willingness to Sign Despite Setback

Despite the diplomatic rupture, President Zelenskyy later stated on social media that Ukraine remains “ready to sign” the minerals agreement, though he emphasized the need for stronger security assurances. The Ukrainian leader has stressed the importance of maintaining “constructive dialogue” with the United States and ensuring that Ukraine’s position is heard. Zelenskyy said that the combative meeting in Washington ultimately served neither American nor Ukrainian interests, instead playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The minerals deal was intended to secure American access to critical materials while providing Ukraine with much-needed economic support. Such an agreement would have been particularly valuable as Ukraine faces increasing pressure on multiple fronts, including combat losses, diminishing international attention, and uncertain future support. Zelenskyy has warned that Ukraine’s failure would represent a victory for Putin and a significant setback for Europe and the United States, particularly regarding security interests in the region.