Ukraine has not received even half of the $177 billion the U.S. allocated to support Kyiv throughout the full-scale war, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with U.S. podcaster Lex Fridman released on Jan. 5.
Zelensky implied that this development may have been linked to corruption or lobbying on the side of U.S. companies. Ukraine's head of state said this in response to Fridman's question about corruption concerns in Ukraine.
The U.S. has become Ukraine's top supporter, providing the largest amount of military assistance to resist Russian aggression. Voices critical of Washington's support have often cited corruption risks and dangers of the illicit arms trade, though U.S. watchdogs have closely monitored the assistance.
While acknowledging corruption in Ukraine, Zelensky said that his country works hard to combat it through the "most complex" anti-corruption system in Europe. He also said that what would be called "corruption" in Ukraine might be called "lobbyism" elsewhere.
"If we had $177 billion and if we get the half, where is the second half? If you find the second half, you will find corruption," Zelensky commented in the wide-ranging three-hour interview.
Zelensky provided an example of him allegedly unsuccessfully appealing to Washington to bring in U.S. arms using Ukraine's own fleet of cargo planes not to pay for the transport.
"No. I didn't get this opportunity. My jets stayed put, and the U.S. jets, cargo jets moved these weapons. But everywhere you have to spend money," Zelensky added, saying that Ukraine could have spent this money to buy more arms instead of paying for expensive transport to U.S. companies.
"Is this corruption or not? Or lobbyism?" the president asked, saying that he has been reluctant to talk about such causes so as not to cause a scandal that could lead to the halt of aid.
The president stressed that Ukraine does not profit from the war and that such claims stem from Russian propaganda, adding that Ukrainian authorities strictly punish anybody who attempts to profit from foreign military aid.
Ukraine has made strides to combat corruption since the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2014, but civil society groups and activists have raised the alarm about the anti-graft efforts slowing down during the full-scale war.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn
(Updated: )
