Zelenskyy responds to Republicans opposed to providing assistance to Ukraine: Money goes, first of all, to US defense sector
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed a message to the American Republican congressmen who did not vote for providing military assistance to Ukraine, saying that the allocated $61 billion would go, first of all, to the U.S. defense sector for the production of weapons.
"My message to those Congressmen who were against [providing assistance to Ukraine]: they should know that this money goes primarily to the U.S. defense sector. First of all, we need weapons. This is not a question of money, but, above all, of weapons. They should know that their production will receive tens of billions, jobs, taxes – all this will be in the United States," Zelenskyy said in an interview with an American Fox News journalist published on the President's Telegram channel.
Also, according to him, Republicans opposed to aid to Ukraine should know that "part of the allocated funds will go to other European countries, a small part of them, but still not even to Ukraine. Because some of the weapons that we also need, which are in terrible short supply, which we need – and the United States supports us in this, and this is always the help of the industry of those countries. It is not going to Ukraine."
"And the third thing is when the United States gave a certain amount to the Ukrainian budget, for example, for our defense industry – we have no secrets with the Americans – all these technologies, but we spend a lot of time, we attract scientists, our Ukrainian guys, very smart guys, also Americans, the British take part in this. We share all these technologies with our American partners," he said.
In addition, Zelenskyy stressed that "Americans see every dollar that comes into Ukraine."
"Transparency – they have it all. Everyone knows this, whether it is military assistance or direct financing of any of our industrial areas, everything is visible. And when we share these technologies with the United States, it's not about giving something away, it's about getting something in return," the President said.
"Therefore, be calm and confident: everything will go to the battlefield, supporting not only the army of Ukraine, but also to protect democracy in the world," he added.
The Head of State also noted that "both we and the Americans are free people. They may or may not support Ukraine. Different people have different motives, but Americans are mostly on our side. And, mainly, the Congress is on our side, and the Senate. And this means that the United States is on our side."
As reported, on April 20, the United States voted for a bill on the allocation of military and budgetary assistance to Ukraine in the amount of about $61 billion. The document was supported by 311 votes, including 210 from Democrats and 101 from Republicans. The remaining 112 Republicans voted against.