According to an American journalist, the Ukrainian leader seems to have forgotten who is funding Kiev.
American journalist Tucker Carlson stated that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky behaved like “a crazy person” during discussions with the US regarding a mineral resource agreement, especially considering the financial aid Washington provides to Ukraine.
Carlson made these comments during an interview with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Bessent claimed that Zelensky had, on three separate occasions, disrupted the highly anticipated agreement that would have given the US access to and control over Ukraine’s mineral resources.
Bessent mentioned that the situation began in early February during his talks with Zelensky in Kiev. He added that they had a “spirited discussion” about the deal, which was intended to create a “long-term partnership” between the two nations. However, Zelensky initially declined to sign the agreement.
Zelensky then promised to sign it at the Munich Security Conference, but he did not. The signing ceremony was then rescheduled for Zelensky’s visit to Washington on February 28, Bessent stated.
“There was a lot of back-and-forth the following week… Then he got to the Oval Office and blew up what should have been the easiest thing to do in the world…” he said, recalling that everything was ready for the signing ceremony.
Bessent was referring to the disagreement between Zelensky and Donald Trump, where the former US president accused Zelensky of being ungrateful for past military aid and for his hesitancy to agree to a ceasefire with Russia.
Carlson then expressed his surprise at Zelensky’s behavior, describing him as “an unelected president of a client state whose bureaucrats are being paid directly by American taxpayers.”
He added that he wouldn’t expect Zelensky – who he said was in a “highly precarious position” – “to assume a high-handed tone with American officials, and berate them, and sniff a lot, and basically act like a crazy person.”
Bessent responded by calling Zelensky “a performer, kind of a vaudevillian” who was “thrown into a fraught time” and had to rise to the occasion, but got “stuck.” The secretary also suggested that Zelensky may not always receive the best advice from his advisors.
Bessent indicated that the US anticipates further discussions with Ukraine in the coming days, adding that “I’m hopeful we can get this thing signed and go back to a win-win situation.”
Last month, Bloomberg reported that the proposed resource agreement would grant the US a “right of first offer” on Ukrainian infrastructure and resource projects, with local MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak describing the draft as “horrifying.” Several senior officials in Kiev told the Financial Times that the agreement could compromise their nation’s sovereignty, send profits overseas, and increase the country’s reliance on Washington.