OAN Staff Blake Wolf
1:46 PM – Monday, February 3, 2025
In a recent interview, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy claimed that Kyiv has only received around $75 billion out of the at least $177 billion sent by the Biden administration, prompting even the most vocal Ukraine funding advocates to convey suspicion.
“When I hear — both in the past and even now — from the U.S. that America has provided Ukraine with hundreds of billions, as the president of a nation at war, I can tell you — we’ve received [no] more than $75 billion,” he stated this past weekend in an interview with the Associated Press.
“So, when people talk about $177 billion or even $200 billion, we’ve never received that. We’re talking about tangible things because this aid didn’t come as cash but rather as weapons, which amounted to about U.S. $70 billion,” he continued.
The Ukrainian president went on to add that Kyiv is grateful for the support of the United States “but when it’s said that Ukraine received $200 billion to support the army during the war — that’s not true. I don’t know where all that money went.”
It currently remains unclear as to where the over $100 billion in military aid sent under the Biden administration went, or if Zelenskyy is being honest about not having received the funds.
The White House has yet to respond to Zelenskyy’s claim.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has been working to secure a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
“We have meetings and talks scheduled with various parties, including Ukraine and Russia. I think those discussions are going pretty well,” Trump said on Sunday.
Trump’s appointed special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, stated that ending the Russia-Ukraine war is extremely important to “our national security interests.” Nevertheless, he has also noted that Ukraine’s war efforts against Russia have been weakening the Russian military, benefitting American military objectives.
“When you look at the money that the United States has provided, which is over $174 billion, when you look at the alliance that has now formed with Russia, with North Korea, with China and Iran – that wasn’t there before,” he added.
Zelensky recently responded to reports of Trump negotiating the end of the war with Russia while excluding a Ukrainian representative, calling the talks “dangerous.”
“If there will be direct talks between America and Russia without Ukraine, it is very dangerous, I think,” Zelensky stated. “They may have their own relations, but talking about Ukraine without us — it is dangerous for everyone.”
Zelensky reiterated that any discussions between Russia and the United States without a Ukrainian representative present would validate Putin’s invasion, subtly warning the Trump administration.
“This will mean that anyone can act like this. And this will be a signal to other leaders of the big countries who think about [doing]… something similar.”
Trump’s special envoy did not reveal how Trump plans on applying pressure to both parties, although he vaguely stated that he will negotiate “something that’ll be significant.”
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