Zelensky Proposes $300 Billion Russian Assets for U.S. Weapons, Says Putin Fears Trump

Jan 6, 2025, 01:51 AM

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump that Ukraine purchase American weapons using $300 billion in frozen Russian assets. Zelensky made the proposal during an interview with podcaster Lex Fridman, emphasizing that the funds would be invested in the U.S. economy, benefiting American industry. He stated that Ukraine does not require gifts but seeks to use Russian assets, which have been frozen by the U.S., European Union, Japan, and Canada in response to Russia's military actions since 2022. Approximately two-thirds of these assets are held in Europe, primarily in Belgium's Euroclear. Zelensky described the proposal as a security guarantee for Ukraine and a mutually beneficial arrangement for the U.S. He also noted that Western security promises have proven unreliable and claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin fears Trump.