Trump claims US stopped financing Ukraine

(MENAFN) President Donald Trump announced that the United States has stopped directly funding Ukraine and is now profiting from arms sales to European NATO members, who in turn supply weapons to Ukraine. During a White House briefing on Monday, Trump criticized previous U.S. administrations for committing $350 billion to Ukraine, calling the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, “the greatest salesman” for successfully securing funds.

“We don’t pay any money to Ukraine anymore,” Trump stated. “In fact, it’s the opposite. They request through NATO, and we deal with NATO.” According to Trump, NATO compensates the U.S. for arms sales, which are then sent to Ukraine. He emphasized that European nations should take the lead in Ukraine’s security efforts, with the U.S. playing a supporting role.

Trump’s remarks came amid growing calls from Zelensky and Western European nations for security guarantees resembling NATO’s Article 5, which would require collective defense in case of an attack on Ukraine. Kiev has reportedly sought $100 billion to purchase U.S.-made weapons.

Meanwhile, Russia has consistently opposed Western arms shipments to Ukraine, arguing that they prolong the conflict and bring NATO directly into the hostilities. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated that any European security arrangement excluding Russia would be unacceptable.

Trump’s administration has distanced itself from the earlier, unlimited U.S. financial support to Ukraine, with figures like Vice President J.D. Vance stating that Washington will no longer provide direct funding. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent added that European nations would be paying a premium for American arms. Trump also dismissed the possibility of Ukraine reclaiming Crimea or joining NATO, labeling both as “impossible.”

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