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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky allegedly erupted in anger at a senior member of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, leaving him visibly shaken, as negotiations between the U.S. and Ukraine over a potential deal to end the war intensify.

According to reports, Trump recently dispatched newly appointed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to Kyiv to propose a deal in which Ukraine would exchange a portion of its vast mineral wealth for security guarantees against future Russian aggression.

However, after carefully reviewing the proposal, Zelensky and his aides reportedly found that it lacked any concrete security assurances. Instead, the terms were described as exploitative—demanding that Ukraine surrender significant portions of its oil, gas, and mineral resources as repayment for U.S. aid already provided.

Ukrainian lawmakers described Zelensky’s outrage as unmistakable, with his furious voice echoing through the halls of the presidential palace. “He was livid,” one source told the Financial Times, adding that even the heavy gilded doors of his office could not muffle the intensity of the confrontation.

Bessent, caught off guard by Zelensky’s reaction, was visibly shaken when addressing reporters shortly after the meeting, his voice reportedly trembling as he delivered a brief and stumbling statement.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated that Moscow would only halt hostilities if negotiations resulted in a firm and favorable resolution for Russia. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also accused European nations and the UK of prolonging the war, citing fresh EU sanctions.

As Ukraine marks the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, world leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have gathered in Kyiv. Trump, however, remains absent, meeting instead with French President Emmanuel Macron in Washington.

Prior to the heated exchange, Bessent had stated that Ukraine’s agreement to an “economic commitment” with the U.S. would provide a “long-term security shield” from Washington. This concept was initially introduced by Zelensky himself as part of his “Victory Plan” last October, where he suggested a potential agreement with the U.S., EU, and other allies to facilitate joint investments and resource-sharing.

However, a leaked draft of Bessent’s proposal, obtained by The Telegraph, revealed that the U.S. would claim 50% of Ukraine’s revenue from natural resource extraction and half of the financial value of any new resource licenses issued to third parties.

Even if the deal had included concrete security guarantees, such terms would have been difficult for Kyiv to accept. Furthermore, Trump allegedly expected Ukraine to hand over $500 billion worth of natural resources as repayment for U.S. military, financial, and humanitarian aid. This figure appears to be inflated, as official U.S. congressional reports estimate total U.S. aid to Ukraine at $174.2 billion, with Zelensky later stating that only around $75 billion of this was military assistance.