The Trump government is stepping up pressure on Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski to grant hundreds of billion dollars in the US after the initial refusal of Zelenski, which caused Washington’s rage.

The White House reacted strongly, describing Zelenski’s decision “unacceptable”, while Trump himself, in an unusually harsh statement, described the Ukrainian president “dictator”. For his part, Zelenski replied that the former US president is living in a “misinformation bubble”, underlining the need for transparency and balanced negotiations.

“They have to throw the tones, be seriously reunited and sign this agreement,” Trump’s National Security Advisor Mike Walts said on Thursday at Fox News, referring to the leadership of Ukraine.

Zelenski has stated that he is open to an agreement, but that more treatment is needed.

The backdrop of the Zelenski -Bessed meeting

According to a Wall Street Journal report, US demands were presented for the first time by Finance Minister Scott Bessed in Kiev last week.

A Republican MP, who met with Zelenski on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference last week, described how Besed presented the Mineral Agreement on the Ukrainian president.

Bessed pushed the document to Zelenski, demanding that he sign it, according to the Ukrainian president. Zelenski took a quick look and said he would discuss it with his team. Bessed then pushed the document even closer.

“You really have to sign it,” the finance minister said. Zelenski said that he was then pointed out that “people in Washington” would be very unhappy if he didn’t. The Ukrainian leader said he took the document, but did not pledge to sign it.

The US Treasury has not responded to a request for annotation, the WSJ said. Zelenski’s spokesman also did not respond, but a Ukrainian president’s assistant confirmed that Besed had put pressure on the signing of the deal. The assistant said that Zelenski was surprised by a signature document without giving him the opportunity to consult with his team and that he expected that any billions of dollars would be signed at a meeting with Trump.

Zelenski has stated that the initial proposal of the Trump government, which requires a share of Ukraine’s natural resources, does not guarantee any security guarantee in exchange for Ukraine’s main demand.

“This is not a serious debate,” Zelenski said on Wednesday. “I can’t sell our state.”

Valts said the proposed agreement was “an economic cooperation” and “a historic opportunity for the United States of America to join Ukraine, invest in its economy, invest in its natural resources.”

Ukraine argues that it has the largest titanium reserves in Europe, which is used for the manufacture of aircraft alloys and naval units, as well as lithium, a basic material in batteries.

Ukraine also has rare land deposits, essential for some high -tech industries, including defense and renewable energy. Although potentially rich, these stocks require huge investments for exploiting them, even in times of peace, and many are in areas held by Russia.

In a sign that Moscow may seek to exploit the dispute, a government think tank sent a memorandum to the Kremlin before US-Russia talks this week, recovered by a western government. It is proposed to Russia to provide US companies to exploit minerals in the occupied Ukrainian areas.

Zelenski told reporters on Wednesday that the document presented by Bessed was “indefinite”, in addition to claiming 50% of Ukrainian natural resources. The Ukrainian leader said he rejected the document, but is ready to discuss an agreement that would also include US security guarantees for Ukraine.

Zelenski said he was grateful for the US’s help to Ukraine, which he estimated in about $ 100 billion in military and financial support. But he said Trump’s demand for minerals worth $ 500 billion in return was excessive.