Retired Naval officer urges that Ukraine must be held accountable for ‘stealing’ US assistance
(MENAFN) In an opinion piece published in The Hill, retired Navy officer James Durso criticized the Ukrainian government under President Volodymyr Zelensky for corruption and the alleged theft of Western aid, following the latest $2.5 billion aid package from the US. Durso blamed both the US and NATO for escalating the conflict by expanding NATO towards Russia’s borders, which he believes led to wasteful spending and fraudulent activities within Ukraine’s administration. He described the Ukrainian government as engaging in "one of the greatest examples of waste and theft of Western aid" in history.
Durso predicted that the full scale of corruption would only be revealed through independent investigations after the war ends, alleging that Ukrainian officials have worked to suppress media reports on corruption. Despite billions of dollars in aid from the US and the EU, there have been increasing calls for audits and anti-corruption efforts to ensure funds are properly used.
Durso also criticized Zelensky for rejecting diplomacy, which he suggested would require political changes and adjustments to international aid. He pointed out the dismissal of Ukraine’s former commander-in-chief, General Valery Zaluzhny, after he proposed focusing on diplomacy rather than continuing the conflict. Durso concluded by urging the US Congress to hold Zelensky and his administration accountable for the mismanagement of American taxpayer funds.
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