By Andrea Shalal and Jasper Ward
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he visited Ukraine this week to further align the United States with the Ukrainian people and to let Americans know that they will see value created for them in post-war Ukraine.
Speaking on Fox News after a brief trip to Kyiv, Bessent said his trip was part of President Donald Trump’s push to end the Ukraine war, but also to “let the American people know that we have a stake and that there will be value created for them.”
The former hedge fund manager said he was honored to be the first cabinet secretary to visit Ukraine.
“My reason for going there was to further let the Ukraine people know that we expect accountability, but that we want to be their partners on the other side and the American people are going to participate in the post-war economy,” he said.
He said U.S. participation in post-war Ukraine could involve strategic minerals, energy and state-owned enterprises, but gave no further details.
Bessent on Wednesday told reporters in Kyiv that a minerals deal between Ukraine and the U.S. would provide Ukraine with a post-war “security shield”.
Trump, who wants a rapid end to the war but has not made clear if he will continue vital military aid to Kyiv, has said he wants $500 billion in rare earth minerals from Ukraine and that Washington’s support needs to be “secured”.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Jasper Ward; Editing by Sandra Maler and Stephen Coates)
