Zelenskyy says Ukraine is open for loans as a form of US aid if it is provided timely
"If we were offered a loan today or everything for free in a year, we would say: 'Only today.'"
In a recent interview on Ukrainian TV, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his belief that the United States Congress will eventually allocate additional assistance to Ukraine. However, he also stated that Ukraine would agree to receive funds in the form of loans if no other options were available.
“Regarding American aid, it is critical in any case. I still believe that we will be able to obtain a positive vote from the US Congress,” Zelenskyy said. “Unfortunately, we are somewhat hostage to this situation. Regrettably, the issue of Russia’s war against Ukraine has become a domestic political issue in the United States today, even though it is about the security of this world. And I do not understand this immature approach…
Nevertheless, I believe, I work, and I hope that reason will prevail and we will receive appropriate help.”
Zelenskyy also revealed that Ukraine would agree to receive aid from the United States in the form of a loan.
“One senator recently visited and asked, ‘Would you agree to loan money?’ I replied, ‘What are the options?’ He said, ‘Well, if they tell you that the money is a loan, or you won’t receive it.’ I said, ‘What’s the point of this choice if there’s no choice at all?’ Therefore, we will agree to any option,” the President stated. “Moreover, if we were offered a loan today or everything for free in a year, we would say: ‘Only today.’ Our only choice is to survive and win. We try to do it in different ways. It is important – the sooner, the better.”
Regarding the provision of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine by various countries, Zelenskyy stressed the need for concrete actions rather than just public signals. He called on EU states, particularly Belgium and the UK, to take the funds and transfer them to Ukraine.
The President also highlighted that Ukraine should have the opportunity to purchase weapons from the United States using these funds. He expressed his opinion that some countries are reluctant to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine because they work as a deposit, generating interest while held in those countries.
As Ukraine continues its fight against Russian aggression, the country remains hopeful for international support, whether in the form of assistance or loans, to bolster its defense capabilities and secure its future.
The US aid to Ukraine has been stalled in Congress for months, benefiting Russia on the battleground as Ukraine’s stocks of artillery munitions and missiles deplete without the much-needed supplies from the US. On 30 March 2024, The White House once again urged Congres to pass the bipartisan national security supplemental bill so that the US can help Ukraine replenish critically needed air defense missiles. A spokesperson for the US National Security Council, Adrienne Watson, released a statement following Russia’s night attack against the Ukrainian power grid, urging Congress to approve the bill.
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