In an interview with the Associated Press, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the discrepancy between the reported US$177 billion in aid pledged by the U.S. to Ukraine and the actual amount the country has received. According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine has only received approximately US$76 billion of the total allocated funds.
“When I hear – both in the past and even now – from the US that America has provided Ukraine with hundreds of billions [of dollars] (177, to be precise, based on what Congress approved), as the president of a nation at war, I can tell you – we’ve received more than US$75 billion,” Zelenskyy stated. He clarified that the aid, which was not provided in cash but instead in the form of military support, including weapons valued at around US$70 billion, has not amounted to the full US$177 billion or even US$200 billion sometimes cited in public discussions.
Zelenskyy emphasized that while Ukraine has been immensely grateful for the aid it has received, the actual figures are far lower than the sometimes inflated numbers circulating in the media. “So, when people talk about US$177 billion or even US$200 billion, we’ve never received that. We’re talking about tangible things because this aid didn’t come as cash but rather as weapons, which amounted to about US$70 billion,” he said. “But when it’s said that Ukraine received US$200 billion to support the army during the war – that’s not true. I don’t know where all that money went.”
In his remarks, Zelenskyy also pointed to specific humanitarian aid programs that were suspended, including a US$200 million energy project, as well as other programs in healthcare and border security. Despite the cuts, Zelenskyy reassured the public that Ukraine would manage with the remaining support, noting that the country would look to secure additional backing either from European partners or through internal resources. “Those US$300-400 million are the programmes the state received. We will manage this. I will secure support either from European partners or through internal resources,” Zelenskyy stated.
Zelenskyy also expressed concern over the ongoing suspension of essential veteran and healthcare programs during wartime. “There are also many other humanitarian programmes I’m uninformed about, except for knowing of their existence. Perhaps the US President’s administration will audit these programmes and find additional billions, but I don’t know where those funds went,” he said. He also noted that many Ukrainian organizations, likely following the guidance of the U.S. embassy, left the country when the war began, further complicating the transparency of aid distribution.
In the broader context, Zelenskyy had previously indicated in November 2024 that Ukraine had not yet received even half of the weaponry promised by the United States. He also pointed out that Europe has provided just as much assistance as the U.S. in Ukraine’s defense efforts.
Zelenskyy’s comments come amid a broader suspension of foreign aid, initiated in part by U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order on his first day in office, which halted all foreign aid programs for 90 days while the U.S. assessed their alignment with political goals. Although military aid to Ukraine continued under the Biden administration, other forms of support, including critical infrastructure and humanitarian programs, faced delays.
The suspension was further solidified on January 26, 2025, when the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was ordered to pause all projects and expenditures in Ukraine for a 90-day review. Despite this, military aid remains unaffected by the freeze and continues to be delivered under the previous administration’s established policies.

{Matzav.com}