Zelenskyy: EU allocated EUR 18-20 bln for Ukrainian refugee support, but money never reached Ukraine
The European Union allocated EUR 18-20 billion to support Ukrainian refugees during the first year of Russia's full-scale invasion, but this money never made it to Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Piers Morgan.
The EU allocated EUR 18-20 billion for this support. They made decisions in the first year, but the money never arrived in Ukraine. Zelenskyy said in the interview that he always said, "Give the funds for refugee support to the Ukrainian budget, and we will distribute them to the refugees abroad from the Ukrainian budget."
He also noted that the United States allocated $5-6 billion for Ukrainian refugees, but Ukrainian citizens officially transferred $35 billion out of the country in the first year of the war.
In the first year, the United States provided $5-6 billion in assistance to Ukrainian refugees, but Ukrainians transferred $35 billion out of the country during the same period. So, the president doesn't consider this direct support for the Ukrainian budget, but it is support for people, and Ukraine is grateful for it.