President Donald Trump is ‘very frustrated’ with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky as relations between the two leaders appeared to reach a new low, the White House has revealed.
In a stern ultimatum Trump’s National Security Advisor Mike Waltz detailed what Zelensky needs to do to get back in Trump’s good graces, including ‘coming back to the table’ to negotiate a deal over Kyiv‘s rich mineral resources.
Slapping down the Ukrainian president, Waltz said: ‘Look, his (Trump’s) goal is to bring this war to an end period…Some of the rhetoric coming out of Kyiv, frankly, and insults to President Trump were unacceptable.”
Waltz, speaking at the White House, also said Zelensky needs to show a ‘deep appreciation’ for the sacrifice the United States has made to help Ukraine. He added that Trump’s frustrations with Zelensky were ‘multifold’.
Trump has demanded that Ukraine repay the U.S. for the military and financial help it gave Kyiv in its fight with Russian forces.
The U.S. wants some of Ukrainian resources, which include rare earth minerals necessary for making items like modern electronics and batteries. Ukraine has about 5 percent of the world’s total reserves.
Waltz slammed Zelensky for looking past ‘a historic opportunity’ for America to co-invest with Ukraine in their mineral production.
Zelensky has rejected Trump’s