Bangladesh, Feb. 12 -- US President Donald Trump has announced that he will dispatch Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to Ukraine for discussions on a potential deal involving rare-earth minerals in exchange for further US aid. The visit, which could take place as soon as this week, marks the first cabinet-level trip to Kiev by a member of Trumps administration.

Trump has repeatedly stressed that US financial support for Ukraine should yield tangible benefits for Washington, particularly in securing access to critical minerals. Speaking to Fox News on February 10, he emphasized that it would be “stupid” for the US to continue funding Ukraines war efforts without a return on investment.

In a Truth Social post on February 11, T...