Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko on Tuesday in Washington, ahead of President Trump's Friday meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to reinforce America's commitment to Ukraine and tighten pressure on Russia.
According to a Treasury Department release, the meeting underscored "the United States' unwavering support for Ukrainian sovereignty" and "dedication to securing a lasting, durable peace."
The statement said Bessent thanked Svyrydenko for her "continued support of the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund" and "noted the importance of regular U.S.-Ukraine engagements as part of this vital partnership."
The Treasury also said Bessent "reiterated the United States' commitment to working with G7 partners to significantly escalate pressure on Russia," emphasizing "the need for European allies to ratchet up their pressure campaign not only against Russia, but also against any country that finances the Russian war machine through purchases of Russian oil."
The high-level meeting comes as Trump prepares to host Zelenskyy on Friday.
The talks are expected to focus on Ukraine's military capabilities, energy resilience, and future reconstruction funding.
Trump has made clear he wants to involve American private-sector investment as part of rebuilding efforts, linking economic aid to strategic accountability.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump confirmed the upcoming summit, saying his administration is considering approving long-range Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine — a potential turning point in the conflict.
"We may not, but we may do it," Trump said. "I think it's appropriate to bring up — yeah, I want to. I want to see the war settled."
The White House said the Zelenskyy delegation includes Prime Minister Svyrydenko and senior security official Rustem Umerov, who arrived in Washington earlier this week for preparatory talks "to strengthen Ukraine's defense, secure our energy resilience, and intensify sanctions pressure on the aggressor."
The Friday meeting will mark Trump and Zelenskyy's first in-person session since August, when the two leaders discussed postwar reconstruction and European defense spending — a meeting that took place a few days after Trump met with Putin in Alaska.
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