Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is on a diplomatic tear, speaking with a slew of world leaders from multiple continents over the past week as the Trump administration works to end the war in Ukraine and calm tensions in the Middle East, the Department of the Treasury said.
Bessent has spoken with top officials from Israel, Qatar, the U.K., Canada, Germany, Greece, Japan and the European Commission.
The Treasury Department said the talks reflect President Donald Trump’s drive to rally allies behind “peace through strength,” using diplomacy and economic muscle to restore global stability.
Bessent met Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday to “reaffirm the strong ties between the United States and Israel.”
The Treasury Department said he encouraged Smotrich to “fully embrace President Trump’s landmark peace deal and thanked the minister for his leadership in Israel.”
Bessent “underscored the historic return of the hostages” and pointed to “the great potential for expansion of the Abraham Accords,” the department said.
Last week Bessent also met Qatari Finance Minister Ali bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari and thanked him for “Qatar’s critical support for President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.”
The pair also reviewed Qatari investment priorities and “the importance of the continued maximum pressure campaign against the Iranian regime.”
The war in Ukraine dominated Bessent’s meeting with Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commission’s Commissioner for Economy & Productivity and Commissioner for Implementation & Simplification.
“Secretary Bessent reiterated that President Trump’s priority is securing a ceasefire and a lasting peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia,” the Treasury Department said.
The Secretary “underscored the need for Europe to be proactive on increased G7 economic pressure against Russia” and pressed for unity against China’s rare earth export curbs.
Bessent also met last week with Germany’s Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil to discuss the EU’s support for Kyiv.
The Treasury Department said Bessent “underscored the Administration’s expectation that Europe proactively increase G7 pressure on Russia” and pushed for “additional sanctions on Iran following the UN snapback.”
Also last week, Bessent met with U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves to “to underscore the Administration’s expectation that Europe lead the increased pressure on Russia through coordinated G7 efforts.”
Bessent also highlighted the need for a “unified response toward China’s global rare-earth export controls.”
Looking at the United States’ neighbor to the north, Bessent met with Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, to encourage the country “to further engage on outstanding U.S. trade concerns, including imbalances in auto trade.”
Bessent also emphasized the Trump administration’s “expectation that Canada, alongside Europe and the UK, increases economic pressure on Russia through coordinated G7 efforts.”
Bessent also met last Wednesday with Japan’s Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato to boost bilateral investment and reaffirm “G7 commitments to increase economic pressure on Russia.”
Wrapping up with Greece, Bessent and the country’s Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis discussed “bilateral trade and investment ties” and “the need for cooperation on national security issues,” according to Treasury.
In less than a week, the Treasury chief has become one of the busiest members of Trump’s cabinet, pressing allies, closing ranks and keeping America’s economic power front and center.
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