Bangladesh, Feb. 26 -- Tensions between Kyiv and Washington have reached new heights as Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky reportedly lashed out at US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over demands that Ukraine hand over half of its critical minerals as compensation for American aid in the conflict with Russia. According to the Financial Times (FT), the incident occurred during a closed-door meeting on February 12, marking a significant turning point in the relationship between Ukraine and its key Western backer.

During the meeting in Kyiv, Zelensky reportedly became visibly frustrated when Bessent pressed for an immediate agreement on the resource deal. The FT cited an anonymous source who claimed that “the gravelly voice shouti...