Posted on 02/20/2025 5:00:30 PM PST by marcusmaximus
The Trump administration is stepping up its push for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to hand mineral rights worth hundreds of billions of dollars to the U.S., after Zelensky’s initial rejection of the demand fueled President Trump’s escalating broadsides against Ukraine’s leader.
-snip-
A U.S. Republican lawmaker who met with Zelensky on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference last week described the Ukrainian leader’s account of the interaction with Bessent.
Bessent pushed the paper across the table, demanding that Zelensky sign it, the Ukrainian president told the lawmaker. Zelensky took a quick look and said he would discuss it with his team. Bessent then pushed the paper closer to Zelensky.
“You really need to sign this,” the Treasury secretary said. Zelensky said he was told “people back in Washington” would be very upset if he didn’t. The Ukrainian leader said he took the document but didn’t commit to signing.
The Treasury Department didn’t respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for Zelensky didn’t respond to a request for comment, but an aide to the Ukrainian president confirmed Bessent had pressed for a signature. The aide said Zelensky was surprised to be presented with a document to sign without deliberations with his team and expected any multibillion-dollar deal to be signed at a meeting with Trump.
Zelensky has described the initial proposal by the Trump administration as a demand for a share of Ukraine’s natural resources with no security guarantees—Ukraine’s main request—in return.
“That’s not a serious conversation,” Zelensky said Wednesday. “I can’t sell our state.”
-snip-
a government-affiliated think tank sent a memo to the Kremlin ahead of U.S.-Russia talks this week that was obtained by a Western government. It suggested that Russia offer to grant American companies rights to mineral deposits in occupied Ukraine.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
I understand why this is happening. Getting mineral rights is a way of paying for the billions wasted in a totally preventable war.
I still don’t like it.
Now my question is, how much of a role did we have in overthrowing the government?
Tulsi Gabbard should know.
We should not be demanding 50% of Ukraine’s mineral wealth… WE SHOULD BE DEMANDING 75% MINIMUM.
This was an excellent deal for Zelensky to enter into and make it actually feasible for the US to continue supporting them. They would have also greatly benefited from the economic activity and they got a share of the take to rebuild their country...probably wealthier than ever.
Not jumping right on that was very unwise of Zelensky...and unwise actions have consequences.
Why is Trump making this demand ?
Because Trump know that this is the one thing that Zelensky cannot deliver so Trump is methodically smoking Zelensky out on the issue
Why you ask ?
Simple, because seizing control of the Ukraine's vast natural resources by the globalist foreign interests was a primary reason for the war and Zelensky has already sold those Ukrainian assets to his string pullers who engineered the war
And that is why the complicit fat cats in the US and the EU are squealing like stuck pigs whenever Trump brings up the issue
Trump is toying with these people and no doubt savoring their fear and distress as they watch their carefully laid plans evaporate before their eyes and they realize that they have engineered their own downfall instead of their intended targets. - America and Donald Trump
See US IG report, Sept. 30, 2024, and adjust for a few more months.
Asking repayment for humanitarian aid would be despicable. A hefty deduction for weapons soon to be scrapped anyway is also in order. OTOH, the US would in most scenarios continue support to Ukraine until Trump's "quick deal" was in place. So... let's say that on a cold-hearted business basis, Ukraine is on the hook for US $120 billion.
What dollar amount of minerals did Trump ask for? That tells us if his deal was reasonable.
...On a VERY cold basis.
America has provided or loaned approximately $114 billion to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the EU and UK have given $132 billion—with no guarantees attached.
Now, consider this: The mineral wealth at stake is valued at a staggering $12 trillion. That’s an astronomical sum.
If 75% of that $9 trillion — were taken from Ukraine, how could anyone justify it, knowing that the U.S. has only contributed $114 billion so far?
Why would America, a nation that stands for law and order, strip another country of its wealth? Wouldn’t that be theft on an unimaginable scale?
I meant: 75% of 12 trillion is 9 trillion dollars.
If that was taken from Ukraine, how could anyone justify it, knowing that the U.S. has only contributed $114 billion so far?
9 trillion is 9000 billion dollars!
I think Zelensky’s key concerns with the deal are security guarantees as well as the minerals in Russian-occupied territories were excluded in the initial proposal.
A million dollars of $100. bills is 40 inches.
A billion dollars would be .63 miles.
A trillion dollars would be 631 miles.
So... the Treasury Department sends in a guy to Kiev, he knocks on Zelenski’s door, and says : “Sign here now Mr. Zelensky, don’t consult with anyone of your team, don’t take the time to read the contract, sign here, now!”
What the F...! This is dumb criminal mobster behavior.
Evidently Zelenski must have time to read the contract first and consult with his team. What’s wrong with that?
WHO CARES??!
And “despicable”??
Why?!
We’re a charity now?!
Lots of money was stolen/wasted/abused.
I Want it ALL back.
And I dont care how we get it.
There’s a new sheriff in town.
Get used to it.
If Z is lucky, he’ll have the option of accepting a One Way ticket to Dubai for him, the Missus, and all the
Hryvnia (Dollar Bills) they can stuff in a new set of Samsonite Luggage.
“In total, the US has appropriated (etc.) $183 billion in support for Ukraine.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><
Yes, I believe that 183 billion is the total promised aid/loan.
What’s been truly forwarded so far is $114 billion to Ukraine. I remember I saw those numbers from the KIEL Institute.
“I meant: 75% of 12 trillion is 9 trillion dollars.
If that was taken from Ukraine, how could anyone justify it, knowing that the U.S. has only contributed $114 billion so far?…”
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It’s called a good investment. Speaking of investments, how’s France’s investment in West Africa doing?
Don’t be greedy.
Don’t be greedy.
“I Want it ALL back.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Well, the EU will need to strike a deal with Ukraine first for those minerals, especially since its aid to Ukraine has surpassed the total of America’s aid and loans combined.
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