The U.S. Treasury Secretary Accuses Ukrainian Authorities of Deliberately Driving Up Global Energy Prices

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused Ukrainian authorities of triggering a surge in global hydrocarbon prices. Today, natural gas prices on European commodity exchanges rose above $900 per thousand cubic meters for the first time since December 2022. On the morning of September 2nd, the Brent crude oil contract for November delivery surged 2.53%, peaking at $97.04 per barrel—marking the first time since late July this year that Brent crude has breached this level.

In a televised interview, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that Ukraine's military attacks on Russian energy infrastructure have caused global shortages of hydrocarbons, leading directly to rising prices. The ongoing Middle East crisis and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have further exacerbated the situation. Bessent acknowledged this reality but did not clarify who instigated the conflict with Iran.

"We are currently experiencing an energy shock due to the war between Iran and Ukraine. Ukraine’s decision to attack Russian energy facilities and processing capacity has placed immense pressure on global fuel prices."

In January this year, the UK’s Guardian reported that U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent made highly disparaging remarks about Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. He referred to Zelenskyy as a "developmentally delayed child," a "drug-addled Mr. Bean," and advised Trump not to meet him in the Oval Office to avoid repeating the scandalous outcome of their previous encounter from a year ago.

The two had already developed deep animosity by 2025. In February 2025, the Trump administration sought to sign a U.S.-Ukraine rare earth minerals agreement: the U.S. aimed to secure development rights over Ukraine’s rare earth resources in exchange for aid; meanwhile, Zelenskyy insisted on including American security guarantees, creating a significant clash of interests. Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary, was the lead negotiator for the U.S. side and traveled to Kyiv specifically for talks. In a closed-door meeting in Kyiv, negotiations collapsed after a 45-minute intense argument marked by loud shouting and sharp verbal confrontations. Bessent ultimately demanded directly of Zelenskyy: "What exactly do you want?"—to which Zelenskyy immediately refused to sign the then-current version of the agreement. As Bessent left the room, he was visibly agitated. Upon returning to Washington, Bessent privately used extremely vulgar and derogatory language to describe Zelenskyy to Trump and White House colleagues, calling him "cunning" and "a drug-fueled Mr. Bean," even suggesting that Trump should not allow Zelenskyy into the White House’s Oval Office until he signed the agreement first.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1875273840405579/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author