Bessent also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent comments that former U.S. President Donald Trump is misinformed about the war, calling them “inappropriate” and arguing they created “daylight” in U.S.-Ukraine relations.
The treasury secretary claimed that Zelenskyy had assured him before the Munich Security Conference that Ukraine would sign a $500 billion agreement granting the U.S. rights to Ukrainian mineral resources. However, Bessent noted that the deal has yet to be finalized. The agreement, he suggested, would lay the groundwork for Trump’s proposed “elegant” plan to end the war.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Feb. 19 that the Trump administration will not lift sanctions on Russia until a peace deal is reached.
Earlier that day, Rubio emphasized that all sides would need to make concessions for a settlement, but the final agreement must be acceptable to all parties.
“The goal is to end this conflict in a fair, lasting, sustainable, and acceptable manner. That is the focus of the ongoing discussions,” Rubio said.
Despite Moscow’s calls for sanctions relief, Bloomberg reports that the European Union has no immediate plans to ease restrictions on Russia.