MSNBC analyst Michael McFaul said Thursday on “MSNBC Prime” that he is embarrassed President Donald Trump was demanding mineral rights from Ukraine as part of the war negotiations.
Host Michael Steele said, “President Trump has leveled up, ‘Hey, give us half of your your find diamonds and minerals and other things that may be there on the ground in Ukraine.’ And they’re seemingly moving in that direction. What do you make of that piece being put in the middle of this conversation for Zelensky, who’s indicated, ‘Okay, yeah, we may look at these mineral rights,’ given half the mineral rights to the United States. Even though it will take, you know, a long time for that to really be realized.”
McFaul said, “Well, I just as an American, I’m. embarrassed by it. I mean, we’re exploiting a partner who is fighting for their lives in Ukraine to fighting for their country. And in the middle of that, we’re we’re exploiting them in this kind of colonial deal. I just find it atrocious. And I don’t think it’s in America’s long term interest. I think if we keep doing this, eventually we’re going to have no friends in the world.”
He added, “Having said that, Zelensky has no choice. He has to sign this. They’ve done a good deal in negotiating it. I think people will be surprised at how this is going to feel like a pretty kind of public relations document, and not very specific when we see the signing tomorrow, but they have to do it.”
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