Reports from Ukrainian government or defense procurement agencies

Zelensky Proposes Using $300 Billion in Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons, Benefiting U.S. Industry

Jan 6, 2025, 10:11 AM

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed using $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to purchase American weapons, as discussed in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman. Zelensky suggested to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump that these funds, which are currently blocked, could be used to buy weapons from the U.S., emphasizing that this would not be a gift but an investment in U.S. industry. He stated, 'Take the money, what we need for our interior production, and we will buy all the weapons from the United States. We don’t need gifts from the United States.' This proposal comes as a strategic move to ensure Ukraine's security while also benefiting the U.S. economy, highlighting the potential for these funds to serve as security guarantees.