Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photo: AFP via Getty Images
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that the US Congress will allocate additional assistance to Ukraine. However, the Ukrainian government would agree to a loan if there are no other options.
Source: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, interviewed on the national joint 24/7 newscast
Quote: “Regarding American aid, it is critical in any case. I still believe we can get a positive vote from the US Congress. Unfortunately, we are kind of a hostage in this situation. Unfortunately, the issue of Russia’s war against Ukraine has now become a domestic political issue in the United States, even though this is [about] the security of the world. And I don’t understand this half-baked approach […].
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Unfortunately, we are hostages to the fact that this is the voting procedure in the United States. Nevertheless, I keep on believing, working, and hoping that reason will nevertheless prevail and we will get the appropriate help.”
Details: At the same time, the president said Ukraine would agree to receive funding from the United States as a loan.
Quote: “One senator was recently here and said: ‘Would you agree to a loan?’ ‘What are the options?’ [we asked]. He said, ‘Well, what if they told you the money is a loan or you won’t get it?’ I said, ‘What are these choices for if there is no choice?’ So we will agree to any option.
In fact, if Ukraine were offered everything as a loan today or free in a year’s time, we would say ‘Today.’ We have one choice – to survive and win. We’re trying to do this in various ways. The important thing is: the sooner the better.”
More details: Regarding the provision of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine by various countries, Zelensky stressed that there must be specific action on this issue, not just public declarations.
“Very specifically: so that an EU state, such as Belgium, or the UK, can just take their money and transfer it. There is a decision at the EU level, and they need to make this decision – to take all the money and transfer it to Ukraine. So far there has been nothing but talk. And we need weapons now,” Zelenskyy said.
The president also stressed that Ukraine ought to be able to use the money to buy weapons from the United States, for example.
He also said he believes that several countries are reluctant to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine because they work like a deposit. “Sometimes states don’t want to transfer frozen assets to you because while they are there, they are working, like a deposit in a bank. It sits there and generates interest. And if we have it, it won’t be yielding the appropriate interest.”
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