U.S. Treasury's Stance on Long-term Treasuries and Global Economic Dialogues

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent discussed the challenges of increasing longer-term treasuries in government debt issuance and addressed global economic matters. He highlighted China's economic rebalance, dismissed U.S. gold revaluation, and considered sanctions relief for Russia. Additionally, he spoke on Ukraine's mineral rights negotiation ahead of the Munich conference.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that increasing the share of longer-term treasuries in government debt issuance is not imminent, citing challenges such as the Federal Reserve’s quantitative tightening program. His remarks came during an interview with Bloomberg Television, suggesting a cautious approach to any immediate changes.

Bessent plans to urge China to rebalance its economy during his upcoming talks in Beijing. He dismissed rumors about revaluing U.S. gold holdings to ease borrowing demands, emphasizing that such measures are not on the agenda. Discussions on potentially adjusting sanctions against Russia were also highlighted, contingent on Moscow's willingness to negotiate over the Ukraine conflict.

Regarding Ukraine, Bessent reported assurances from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy about a substantial mineral rights deal, expected to be finalized before the Munich security conference. However, Zelenskiy refuted U.S. demands to equate wartime aid with mineral wealth, citing inadequate aid and lack of security guarantees.