Zelensky ‘acted like Mr. Bean on crack,’ U.S. Treasury chief reportedly said | 22 June 2026 | U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who had negotiated a much-touted rare earth minerals deal with Kiev, was reportedly worried that the “little f**ker” Vladimir Zelensky would mess up the signing ceremony in the Oval Office, according to a new book by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. The infamous confrontation last year took place as the Ukrainian leader sat down with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance to finalize a deal granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources. The televised press conference took a nasty turn when Zelensky criticized Trump’s efforts to mediate a settlement with Moscow rather than increase military support for Kiev. “I’ve dealt with this little f**ker,” Bessent, who was present in the room, told his associates, according to excerpts published by The Guardian. “He’s tricky. He’s like the special-needs child for the Europeans. And he’s acting like Mr. Bean on crack.” [Truer words never spoken.]