According to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant, US leader Donald Trump plans to use the mineral agreement with Ukraine as a tool to pressure Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, primarily as part of the process of ending the war.
Points of attention
- By demonstrating solidarity with Ukraine, Trump's team seeks to reassure the American public and highlight the possibility of shared prosperity through economic partnerships with the country.
- The mineral agreement not only serves as a symbol of support for Ukraine but also signals a commitment to security through economic cooperation, aiming to bolster Ukraine's position and stability in the region.
What is Trump up to?
Bessent once again reminded that the idea for the minerals agreement belonged to the US president.
Donald Trump's team believes it will yield several results.
The US Treasury Secretary emphasized that, first of all, it is about "new levers of influence" on dictator Putin.
First, it will create additional leverage for him in negotiations with the Russian leadership when the right moment comes, Bessent added.
He also noted that the key idea was to sign an agreement that would show that "there is no disagreement between the United States and the Ukrainian people."
According to Bessent, this was supposed to be a symbol for Ukrainians that the United States remains by their side.
"It would also be a signal to a weary American public, skeptical of new financial commitments, that shared prosperity with Ukraine is possible. And in a sense, it would be a tacit guarantee of security through economic partnership," the American minister emphasized.
