Trump official says Ukraine mineral deal is ‘win-win’ financial opportunity for US taxpayers, Ukrainians
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent lauded the pending Trump-backed deal with Ukraine for access to the country’s rare earth minerals as a “win-win” for both nations, telling Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo the deal could set Ukraine on a “great growth trajectory” that also benefits U.S. taxpayers.
“The first part of this is a partnership between Ukraine and the U.S. that involves strategic minerals, energy and state-owned enterprises, where we set up a partnership, and we are only looking forward,” Bessent said during this week’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”
“We make money if the Ukrainian people make money, and I believe that with the United States of America, our businesses are willing to come in and provide capital that we can accelerate the Ukrainian growth trajectory and take in substantial monies for the U.S. taxpayers and get the Ukrainian economy on a great growth trajectory.”
TRUMP SAYS DEAL WITH UKRAINE FOR US ACCESS TO ITS RARE EARTH MINERALS IS ‘PRETTY CLOSE’
Scott Bessent, US treasury secretary, during a Bloomberg Television interview in New York, US, on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Bessent cited a Russian missile barrage on Kyiv ahead of his recent visit to Ukraine as a signal of Russian leadership’s opposition to the deal. He suggested Russia’s apparent opposition means Ukrainians should favor it instead.
President Trump said Friday that his administration is nearing a deal with Ukraine for rights to access their natural resources in exchange for the United States’ billions of dollars in support for the country’s war against Russia.
Bessent elaborated on the deal’s contents Sunday, saying it does not include a “military guarantee,” but that it does guarantee U.S. investment in Ukraine’s economic future.
ZELENSKYY NOT YET SIGNING US ECONOMIC AGREEMENT ‘SHORT-SIGHTED,’ WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL SAYS
Volodymyr Zelenskyy President of Ukraine talks with media during the European Council Meeting on December 19, 2024 in Brussels, Belgium (Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images)
“I call it an economic security guarantee. The more assets that U.S. companies have on the ground, the bigger interest that the U.S. has in the future of Ukrainian economy doing well, the more security it creates for the Ukrainian people and the higher the return for the U.S. taxpayer,” he said.
He expects Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sign the deal despite putting some “daylight” between his country and the U.S.
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Fox News’ Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
