Bloomberg Businessweek

Plans to sign a critical minerals deal between the US and Ukraine were scrapped after Donald Trump’s meeting Friday with Volodymyr Zelenskiy quickly devolved into a fiery exchange over the Ukrainian leader’s doubts that the US president’s efforts to broker a deal with Russia would yield lasting peace.  

Zelenskiy departed the White House following the public spat, and a planned signing ceremony and press conference were canceled. 

US officials said the minerals deal - which Trump had cast as a necessary step to repay American support as he sought to broker a deal with Russia’s Vladimir Putin - was not signed before Zelenskiy’s departure. “He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office.  

He can come back when he is ready for Peace,” Trump said in a social media post shortly before Zelenskiy’s departure. The Ukrainian leader angered Trump and US Vice President JD Vance when he said he did not believe the planned deal would do enough to deter further Russian aggression. “Putin will never stop and will go further and further,” Zelenskiy said, adding that the Russian leader “hates Ukrainians” and wanted to destroy the country. 

“We can do it, but it’s not enough,” he added of the deal. 

On this special edition of Balance of Power, hosts Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz get instant reaction and analysis to the dramatic moment between Trump and Zelenskiy in the Oval Office with:  

• Nick Wadhams, Bloomberg US National Security Team Lead  
• Daniel Fried, Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council/Former-US Ambassador to Poland/Former-Assistant Secretary of State for Europe 
• Rick Davis, Partner at Stonecourt Capital and Bloomberg Politics Contributor & Jeanne Sheehan Zaino, Senior Democracy Fellow with the Center for the Study of the Presidency & Congress and Bloomberg Politics Contributor  
• Kelly Grieco, Senior Fellow with the Stimson Center’s Reimagining US Grand Strategy Program

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Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.
Bloomberg News Economics Editor Molly Smith and Bloomberg Intelligence Chief US Interest Rate Strategist Ira Jersey discuss US consumers unexpectedly reducing spending on goods like cars in January due to extreme winter weather and a slowdown in services. Cava CFO Tricia Tolivar and Bloomberg News Senior Editor Nina Trentmann talk about investment plans for the Mediterranean fast-casual restaurants. Katie Thomas, Lead at the Kearney Consumer Institute, discusses building consumer trust in an age of skepticism. And we Drive to the Close with Lauren Sanfilippo, Senior Investment Strategist for Merrill and Bank of America Private Bank.
Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan.

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Alexander Vindman, (retired) US Army Lieutenant Colonel, discusses his book The Folly of Realism: How the West Deceived Itself About Russia and Betrayed Ukraine. Dr. Iman Abuzeid, CEO at Incredible Health, talks about the career marketplace platform addressing technician shortages and revolutionizing hiring in expansion into home health organizations and ambulatory surgical centers. Dr. Frank Lin, Director of the Johns Hopkins Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health, details the campaign to raise awareness about the importance of monitoring, protecting, and optimizing hearing at all ages.
Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan.

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Bloomberg News US Semiconductor & Networking Reporter Ian King discusses Nvidia's quarterly sales coming in at about $43 billion, slightly above analysts' estimates, but gross profit margins will be tighter than expected due to the rollout of a new chip design called Blackwell. Bloomberg News Economics Editor Molly Smith explains why from egg prices to housing, US inflation is heating up again. Constance Hunter, Chief Economist at The Economist Group, shares the details of the firm's annual Democracy Index report. Jenny Rooke, Founder of Genoa Ventures, talks about strategies for early-stage investing in high-growth, category-defining companies.
Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan.

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Nvidia, the chipmaker at the center of an AI spending boom, gave solid quarterly results and a bullish revenue forecast for the current period, even if the numbers didn’t reach the blowout level that some investors were banking on.

The outlook comes at a shaky time for the AI industry. Nvidia shares have dipped this year on concerns that data center operators will slow spending. Chinese startup DeepSeek also sparked fears that chatbots can be developed on the cheap, potentially reducing the need for Nvidia’s powerful chips for AI.

For instant reaction, Bloomberg Businessweek hosts Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec speak with analysts and experts from across the Bloomberg newsroom, including:

• Bloomberg News earnings reporter Redd Brown
• Bloomberg Technology co-host Caroline Hyde
• Bloomberg Intelligence senior tech industry analyst Mandeep Singh
• Bloomberg News senior editor for technology and strategic industries Michael Shepard

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Connecticut Attorney General William Tong discusses participating in a multi-state lawsuit filed against the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency. Karen Veraa-Perry, Head of iShares Fixed Income Strategy at BlackRock, talks about how investors can play fixed-income through ETFs. Sophie Novati, CEO at Formation, explains AI’s impact on tech hiring. And we Drive to the Close with Vance Howard, CEO at Howard Capital Management.
Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan.

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Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.
Edward Fishman, Professor at Columbia University, discusses his book Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare. Oskar Lewnowski, Founder and Group CEO at Orion Resource Partners, talks about President Trump signing an executive action directing the Commerce Department to examine possible copper tariffs.
Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan.

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Bloomberg News Global Autos Editor Craig Trudell explains why Tesla's sales plunged 45% last month across Europe, as rival carmakers saw a surge in electric-vehicle demand. Paul Eitelman, Chief Investment Strategist at Russell Investments NA, talks about the macro-outlook for global markets. Abby Roach, Portfolio Analyst for the Empiric LT Equity Team at Allspring Global Investments, breaks down Home Depot earnings and the state of the consumer. Utilidata COO Jess Melanson discusses how EVs impact the power grid and using AI to help utilities plan around those energy demands. And we Drive to the Close with Louis Navellier Founder and Chief Investment Officer at Navellier & Associates.
Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan.

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Erin Harkless Moore, Senior Director of Investments at Pivotal Ventures, discusses making a commitment to investing in women founders and funders. Katina Sawyer, Vice Chair of the DEI Committee at University of Arizona, explains how businesses can continue supporting DEI employees without legal or political risk.
Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan.

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Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.
Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Technology Analyst Anurag Rana reports on Apple saying it will hire 20,000 new workers and produce AI servers in the US as the company seeks relief from President Trump’s tariffs on goods imported from China. Bloomberg Businessweek Columnist Max Chafkin provides the details of his Businessweek Magazine story Levandowski Deal Pits Self-Driving Startup Against Heavyweights. Monika Bickauskaite-Aleliune, Public Policy Director at Key Elements Group, shares her thoughts on the start of year 4 of Russia's war with Ukraine. And we Drive to the Close with Eric Metz, Chief Investment Officer of SpiderRock Advisors.
Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan.

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