Statements from international leaders or major news outlets

Zelensky Proposes $300 Billion Plan to Trump for U.S. Weapons from Frozen Russian Assets in Lex Friedman Interview

Jan 5, 2025, 08:05 PM

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed to former President Donald Trump a plan to utilize $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to purchase weapons from the United States. In a recent interview with American podcaster Lex Friedman, Zelensky emphasized that this financial strategy would not only supply Ukraine with necessary military resources but also benefit U.S. industry. He stated, 'Take $300 billion from frozen Russian assets—we'll take them and buy all the weapons from the U.S. We don’t need gifts. It will benefit your industry and the U.S. We’ll invest Russian money, not Ukrainian or European.' Zelensky further likened Russian President Vladimir Putin to the fictional character Voldemort, stating, 'Today Putin is afraid of Trump. Putin is like Voldemort. He who cannot be named.'