The United States Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, stated that President Trump has crafted a “win-win” economic plan for both the United States and Ukraine. He believes that the proposal will enhance Ukraine’s security and strengthen the relationship between the two countries, contrasting with China’s predatory behavior.
Bessent made these comments during an interview on the Fox News special report program broadcasted on Tuesday, February 19.
“President Trump has designed a win-win situation. It is a win for the people of Ukraine as the expertise and innovative capabilities of the American people will be put into play, and it is also a win for the American people. What we are doing is completely opposite to Beijing’s practices.”
“Once China enters Ukraine, they engage in predatory deals, seizing mining rights, whereas our proposal and the documents I have brought forward suggest establishing a cooperative partnership,” he added.
Bessent visited Ukraine last week and met with President Zelensky.
He mentioned that the economic cooperation between the U.S. and Ukraine will be based on “revenues from mineral resources, natural resources, and state-owned enterprises. The more they earn, the more we earn.”
“Therefore, the U.S. side will bring in technical expertise, capital, and act as a catalyst,” he said.
Bessent stated last week that reaching a U.S.-Ukraine economic agreement will also send a message to Russia that Washington stands with Kyiv, providing “long-term security for all Ukrainians.” The Treasury Secretary has submitted a draft proposal to Zelensky.
Previously, Trump expressed his hope for Kyiv to provide approximately $500 billion worth of rare earth minerals as a way to repay the economic and military aid provided by the U.S. since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
On Tuesday, Bessent indicated that he believes once Ukrainians understand that this is a long-term agreement greatly beneficial for their security, Zelensky will be willing to accept it. He added that the proposal serves multiple purposes.
“It brings Ukraine and the U.S. interests closer together. It sends a very strong signal to Russia that we value Ukraine’s interests very highly. This is also crucial for the American people; they need to know where their tax dollars are going and if more investment is required, what returns they can expect,” Bessent stated on Fox News.
He further explained, “In the long run, American interests in Ukraine will serve as a security deterrent. When this crisis concludes, it will further deter Russian aggression.”
So far, Zelensky has not signed any economic deals with the United States. A purported copy of the agreement has been circulating online. However, its authenticity could not be verified by Dajiyuan.
Meanwhile, Chinese state media propaganda has labeled this potential agreement as unequal and humiliating.