Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that the war-torn country has only received approximately $76 billion in aid from the United States despite over $175 billion having been authorized.
Zelensky made the claim in a recent interview with the Associated Press, where he admitted to having no idea the whereabouts of the majority of the funds allocated by the Biden administration.
Making it more startling is how casually he states that he simply has no idea where the money went.
“When I hear – both in the past and even now – from the U.S., that America has provided Ukraine with hundreds of billions, as the president of a nation at war, I can tell you – we’ve received more than $75 billion,” he said. “We’re talking about tangible things because this aid didn’t come as cash but rather as weapons, which amounted to about $70 billion.”
“But when it’s said that Ukraine received $200 billion to support the army during the war – that’s not true,” he added. “I don’t know where all that money went.”
Warning: Implied profanity
Holy shlit. Zelensky claims Ukraine only received around $75 billion of the $177 billion in aid that was sent from the United States. pic.twitter.com/mbdbtljvV1
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 2, 2025
Granted, Zelensky goes on to quantify his remarks, suggesting that aid may have come in different forms that haven’t been accounted for. But how’s about we find out where the money, the equipment, the weaponry – all of it – went?
“Perhaps it’s true on paper with hundreds of different programs – I won’t argue, and we’re immensely grateful for everything. But in reality, we received about $76 billion,” he stated. “It’s significant aid, but it’s not $200 billion.”
This means Zelensky is unsure of where just over 57 percent of the taxpayer money America sent to Ukraine is right now.
Kind of makes Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), some of the most vocal supporters of audits for the aid, seem like a rare duo who actually care what is happening with the funds and/or military equipment.
“We should immediately stop payments to Ukraine and begin a thorough audit of the $60 billion that Joe Biden and Congress have already sent there,” Massie wrote on X back in 2022.
Report: More Than $1 Billion in Weapons, Equipment Sent to Ukraine Not Properly Accounted For
Accounting issues have plagued aid to Ukraine for years, and yet Congress never once seriously considered turning the spigot off.
The Pentagon in 2023 announced an accounting “error” to the tune of $6.2 billion that resulted in a surplus that would later be used in aid packages to the Eastern European nation.
Then-Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh announced the convenient error at a press conference, noting it took place in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 and was a result of overestimating the value of weapons being sent to Ukraine.
Even CNN’s Jake Tapper, when the error was originally reported at $3 billion, was shocked, calling it a “hell of an accounting error” that “provides a lot of fodder to critics … who say there’s not enough oversight going on.”
Jake Sullivan on the Pentagon’s $3 billion “accounting error” over Ukraine aid: “That is not money that went out the door and disappeared. That is not a waste of that $3 billion.” pic.twitter.com/b8s2BJE1JG
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 21, 2023
Where did that money magically come from? Why was the initial reaction to send it to Ukraine rather than the American people?
Things got worse when, last January, corrupt officials in Ukraine were caught taking part in the theft of a staggering $40 million earmarked for the war effort against Russia.
Employees from a Ukrainian arms firm were accused of conspiring with defense ministry officials to embezzle the money. Five people were arrested, while another was detained trying to leave the country.
$40 million embezzled from funds set aside to buy munitions for Ukraine.
Isolated incident or tip of the iceberg?https://t.co/bA0fHc0pFV
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) January 29, 2024
Around the same time, as RedState reporter Nick Arama revealed, more than $1 billion in military weapons and equipment that the United States provided to fight invading Russian forces could not be accounted for.
In the waning days of Joe Biden’s presidency, former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced the administration would provide $3.4 billion to pay government bureaucrats’ salaries in Ukraine.
“The money will pay salaries for civilian government and school employees, healthcare workers, and first responders,” NBC News reported.
It’s almost a theme at this point. One can imagine Zelensky tucked away inside one of those money booths, the air turned on, and he’s jumping and grabbing at every dollar that goes flying past.
Where did all the rest of it go?
President Trump might want to call for a total and complete shutdown of foreign aid until we can figure out what is going on.
