Ukraine, U.S. sign economic deal sought by Trump as payback for war support – National [Video]

The U.S. and Ukraine announced on Wednesday an economic agreement after a weeks-long press by U.S. President Donald Trump on Ukraine to compensate Washington for billions in military and economic assistance to help Ukraine repel the Russian invasion.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a video posted to X that “this partnership allows the United States to invest alongside Ukraine, to unlock Ukraine’s growth assets, mobilize American talent, capital and governance standards that will improve Ukraine’s investment climate and accelerate Ukraine’s economic recovery.”

The announcement comes at a critical moment in the war as Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with leaders of Russia and Ukraine with the brutal fighting dragging on.

The American president has criticized his Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for steps that he said were prolonging the killing, and he has rebuked Russian President Vladimir Putin for complicating negotiations with “very bad timing” in launching deadly strikes on Kyiv.

Trump …