Zelenskyy calls US treasury secretary's approach to minerals deal "wrong"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is responsible for talks on the minerals deal with Ukraine, has chosen a "wrong" approach.

Source: Zelenskyy during a meeting with journalists on 9 April, as reported by European Pravda with reference to Suspilne, a Ukrainian public broadcaster

Details: Zelenskyy was asked to comment on Bessent's statements in a recent interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, where he claimed that the Ukrainian president "blew up" the signing of the minerals deal and he "is not getting the best advice" from those around him.

In response, Zelenskyy suggested that the problem with Bessent lies in "his approach".

"He said, 'You have to sign this now'. I won't hide anything: I have different traits, as does everyone here. My colleagues know that if someone taps their finger on an agreement and says, 'You must sign now' – I could only say to him, 'Stop tapping your finger and let's have a proper conversation'," he said.

"Perhaps he expected a different kind of dialogue, but I do not consider Ukraine a third-rate country. I believe that we should talk as equals," Zelenskyy added.

Background: 

• In his interview with Tucker Carlson, Bessent claimed that Zelenskyy "blew up what should have been the easiest thing to do" during a dispute with US officials at the White House and also said Zelenskyy "is not getting the best advice" from his circle.
• Over the weekend, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko reported that Ukraine was preparing a team to negotiate the critical minerals agreement and that a trip to Washington was planned for this week.
• European Pravda previously reported that Donald Trump's administration had reintroduced a clause into the deal demanding that Ukraine reimburse the full amount of US aid provided since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022.

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