Former President Donald Trump announced on Friday that his administration is “very near” to finalizing a deal with Ukraine that would grant the U.S. access to its natural resources in return for significant financial backing against Russian aggression.
“I believe they are eager for this agreement, and they are optimistic about it,” Trump stated to the media in the Oval Office following the swearing-in of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “This is crucial. It’s a major milestone. They desire it, and it ensures our presence in that country. They are quite pleased with it.”
“We will recoup our investments. These agreements should have been finalized well before our involvement began. They should have been secured by Biden. However, Biden lacked the necessary understanding of the situation. The conflict should never have occurred, primarily. Once it did, it could have been resolved.
“In the initial weeks following the outbreak, conditions deteriorated significantly. It escalated quickly, but that situation should have been avoided. It could have been settled easily at the outset. Now, it presents greater challenges, but we will find a resolution.”
TRUMP LABELS UKRAINE’S ZELENSKYY A ‘DICTATOR WITHOUT ELECTIONS’ AS RELATIONS STRAIN
During his address at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Friday, Trump’s National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, asserted, “The essential point is: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will sign the deal, and you will witness it happening shortly.”
Waltz previously told “Fox & Friends” that Ukraine needs to “mitigate” its criticisms of Trump and return to the negotiating table for an economic agreement with the United States.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump are “very near” to finalizing a deal for U.S. access to Ukraine’s natural resources. (Kay Nietfeld/picture alliance/Curtis Means/Daily Mail/Bloomberg)
The agreement granting U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals is part of larger discussions aimed at concluding the war in Ukraine, which began after Russia’s invasion in 2022.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated to Fox News on Wednesday that Trump aims to establish a “win-win” situation between the United States and Ukraine through this agreement, shortly following his meeting with Zelenskyy in Kyiv.
“Part of my mission was to reassure the Ukrainian populace that we seek an economic partnership with them,” Bessent conveyed to Bret Baier on “Special Report.”
“President Trump’s vision is to strengthen the economic ties between the American and Ukrainian people, demonstrating to the Ukrainians our support while showing the American public that investments made in Ukraine will yield returns and foster long-term collaboration.”
REPUBLICAN SENATORS SUPPORT TRUMP’S CALL FOR UKRAINE TO HOLD ELECTIONS, BUT REFRAIN FROM CALLING ZELENSKYY A ‘DICTATOR’
The Trump administration is working to recuperate the financial assistance provided to the conflict-affected nation by securing access to valuable minerals such as titanium, iron, and uranium.
Strains between Trump and Zelenskyy are mounting as the U.S. engages Russian officials in peace negotiations amid the ongoing conflict.
Trump asserted on Fox News that Zelenskyy possesses “no negotiating leverage” for their discussions, given the personal insults exchanged between both leaders in recent days.
“I’ve observed this individual over the years as his cities suffer destruction, his citizens face violence, and his military is devastated,” Trump remarked to Fox News co-host Brian Kilmeade.
U.S. Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference in Kyiv on February 12. (Tetiana Dzhafarova/AFP via Getty Images)
“I’ve seen him attempt negotiations with no leverage at all. He lacks any negotiating power, and it becomes frustrating,” Trump commented. “You just start to tire of it, and I’ve reached my limit.”
Trump contended that Zelenskyy’s negotiation tactics are ineffective, pointing out that Bessent visited Ukraine last week to negotiate a mineral deal worth hundreds of billions of dollars, but the two parties “couldn’t even get close” to an agreement.
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The former president claimed the trip was not only perilous for Bessent but also futile.
The agreement would bolster U.S. investment in the war-stricken country and provide “the best security assurance they could ever anticipate,” Waltz noted.
Fox News’ Bailee Hill contributed to this report.
