Ukraine will NOT consider US' $66 billion as loan: Zelensky's shocking statement

President Volodymyr Zelensky at a news conference said that Ukraine does not recognize the United States' military aid as loans

Updated on: Mar 28, 2025, 23:05:31 IST

By HT News Desk

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President Volodymyr Zelensky at a news conference on Friday said that Ukraine does not recognize the United States' military aid as loans. The 47-year-old revealed that Kyiv received a draft of a new agreement from the US regarding critical minerals, which is ‘completely different from the previous framework document’.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he doesn't recognize US military aid as loans (AFP)

Zelensky added: “We are grateful for the support, but this is not a credit, and we will not allow it."

In a press release published on March 12, the US Department of State had confirmed that Washington has provided $66.5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. It further added that $69.2 billion in military assistance has been provided since 2014.

“We have now used the emergency Presidential Drawdown Authority on 55 occasions since August 2021 to provide Ukraine military assistance totaling approximately $31.7 billion from DoD stockpiles,” the Marco Rubio-led department said.

Speaking to reporters, Zelensky said that Ukraine would be ready to engage in talks with any Russian representative, as long as it is not President Vladimir Putin.

"I think that in principle we would agree not to talk with him [Putin], or with someone who would represent Russia. I think that if there are people, I think there are businesses in Russia, and they have many different regions, including serious business areas. I think that we would communicate with them if they have a vision of how to end the war," Zelensky said during a briefing on Friday.

The Ukrainian president's massive statement came weeks after he clashed with US President Donald Trump and VP JD Vance at the White House. Talking about the confrontation in February, Zelensky said: “It was just a really tough situation."

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