Scott Bessent says Zelensky ruined chances for mineral deal: 'He chose to blow that up'

On Sunday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the mineral deal that was supposed to take place is no longer on the table in response to the contentious Friday meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Donald Trump, and Vice President JD Vance.

"All President Zelensky had to do was come in and sign this economic agreement, and again show no daylight — no daylight — between Ukrainian people and the American people, and he chose to blow that up," Bessent told CBS News' Margaret Brennan on the "Face the Nation" program.

The agreement, where the US was going to economically benefit from the Ukrainian rare earth mineral industry, was supposed to be signed on Friday after the meeting. However, in response to the situation, the Trump administration has pulled back on the deal.

On Saturday, despite the heated exchange, Zelensky said that Ukraine was still ready to sign the deal.

"We are ready to sign the minerals agreement, and it will be the first step toward security guarantees," Zelensky wrote. "But it’s not enough, and we need more than just that. A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine. We’ve been fighting for 3 years, and Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side."

Bessent put together the deal between the US and Ukraine, but said on Sunday, it's "impossible to have an economic deal without a peace deal." The economic deal was meant to be a stepping stone towards a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, but the relationship between the US and Ukraine was put on thin ice because of the meeting.

"President Zelensky came into the Oval Office and tried to relitigate in front of the world the deal," Bessent commented, adding that the deal should have been hashed out in private.

During the meeting, Trump said that he wants to see peace between the two countries, and said that Zelensky has been ungrateful to the US for the help the country has given after the Ukrainian president said that they have been "alone" in the fight.

Trump said on Truth Social afterwards, "We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelensky is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace."