Ukrainian president dismisses Trump's $500 billion repayment demand as unserious

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed US President Donald Trump's demand for Ukraine to repay $500 billion spent by the US government on aid, calling it an unserious conversation.

Speaking during a press conference in Kyiv, President Zelenskyy clarified the financial situation surrounding Ukraine's war and the aid provided by international partners, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media.

"We need to clarify the details of this aid, as we have very different figures from the US. Our war has cost $320 billion: Ukraine spent $120 billion, while the US and EU contributed $200 billion, mostly in weaponry. So far, the US has provided over $67 billion in arms and $31.5 billion in direct budgetary aid. But the notion that we need to repay $500 billion is not a serious discussion," he noted.

The Ukrainian leader also addressed the issue of missile shortages for Ukraine's Patriot air defence systems.

"We have no missiles to intercept incoming rockets. At 5:00 a.m., the commander tells me there are eight targets, but there are no air defence missiles," Zelenskyy stated.

He specifically referred to the shortage of missiles for the US-made Patriot systems, which Kyiv considers to be the most effective for defence. To address the issue, President Zelenskyy confirmed that he had initiated discussions with European leaders to secure more military assistance for Ukraine.

"I hope they will fund the Ukrainian Armed Forces if the US does not," he added.

Zelenskyy's remarks come at a time when Ukraine continues to face significant challenges on the battlefield, with the need for advanced weapons and military support remaining critical for its defence against Russia. 

Earlier, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order temporarily suspending aid to Ukraine and several other countries for a period of 90 days. This decision was made as part of an ongoing review process conducted by the Trump administration to ensure that the foreign assistance aligns with the current political stance of the US. It remains unclear how much foreign aid will be affected by this decision. The complexity of the situation arises from the fact that funding for many foreign aid programmes has already been approved by Congress and is earmarked for expenditure.

By Naila Huseynova