US treasury chief Bessent says Zelenskyy misled on minerals deal: ‘Lied to our faces’

Bessent claimed that Zelenskyy "lied to our faces three times" about signing the agreement, which would grant US companies access to Ukraine’s rich deposits of strategic minerals.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of misleading Washington, D.C., on several occasions regarding the proposed critical minerals deal.

Bessent, taking a sharp dig at the Ukrainian President during an interview with Tucker Carlson on Friday, claimed that Zelenskyy "lied to our faces three times" about signing the agreement, which would grant US companies access to Ukraine’s rich deposits of strategic minerals.

Notably, the deal, seen as a potential linchpin in reducing American reliance on Chinese mineral imports, has faced repeated delays.

“You know who doesn’t sign that deal? Someone with their hand in the till,” Bessent said, signalling at a likely financial misconduct. He further slammed Zelenskyy’s handling of the matter, describing the Ukrainian leader as a “vaudevillian” - a remark that has sparked sharp reactions online.

Treasury Sec Scott Bessent tells Tucker Zelensky lied to US officials faces 3 times about signing minerals deal.Why? You know who doesnt sign that deal. Someone with their hand in the till.Unmissable, just to hear Bessent call Zelensky a 'vaudevillian.' Though I could pic.twitter.com/X0cO9zIQ8t

Margarita Simonyan (@M_Simonyan) April 4, 2025

The allegation adds to mounting scrutiny over the transparency and accountability of Western aid to Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia.

Neither the Ukrainian government nor the White House has issued an immediate response to Bessent’s claims.

Tensions have been running high between Washington and Kyiv over the proposed rare earth minerals deal, with US President Donald Trump accusing Zelenskyy of attempting to “back out” of the agreement, warning that doing so would lead to “big, big problems.”

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on March 30, Trump had noted that the agreement, expected to be finalised this week, has been facing unprecedented resistance from Zelenskyy.

“I see he’s trying to back out of the rare earth deal. And if he does that, he’s got some problems. Big, big problems,” Trump had stated during the press meet. “We made a deal on rare earth and now he’s saying, ‘well, you know, I want to renegotiate the deal.’”

Trump also appeared to link the minerals agreement to broader geopolitical ambitions, saying, “He wants to be a member of NATO. Well, he was never going to be a member of NATO. He understands that. So if he’s looking to renegotiate the deal, he’s got big problems.”

Zelenskyy, responding to Trump's allegations on April 1 from Kyiv, rejected the notion that NATO was tied to the minerals deal. “NATO membership is not a part of this deal and never was,” he said, adding that Ukraine remains “ready for an unconditional ceasefire.”

Ukrainian officials have, however, dismissed the US President's claims, stating that the conditions of the proposed agreement have shifted significantly in recent days.

According to Ukraine’s foreign ministry, a new draft was received on Friday from the US Treasury Department. As per a CNN report, the revised text expands US rights over future mineral exploration as well as introduces reimbursement clauses for prior American assistance - terms Kyiv was not expecting.

Nevertheless, despite the back-and-forth, Zelenskyy has signaled openness to reaching a deal, saying last week that while “the conditions are constantly changing,” Ukraine is positive about the framework being developed.

The rare earth deal is seen as strategically vital for the US, which is seeking to curb its reliance on Chinese mineral imports by securing supply chains through allied nations.