Not even half of the $177 billion that the United States has promised to provide to Ukraine has arrived in the war-torn nation, nearly three years after the Russian invasion began. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed this information during an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman.
Zelensky highlighted potential reasons for the delays in military aid, suggesting that “lobbying” and “corruption” could play significant roles. He also noted that he requested Washington to send weapons using Ukraine’s cargo planes to reduce shipping costs, but this request was not fulfilled. He expressed disappointment, stating, “No, I didn’t get this opportunity. My jets stayed put and the US jets, cargo jets moved these weapons,” which he believed contributed to higher delivery costs that could have been used to procure additional arms.
The Ukrainian president questioned the integrity of the situation: “Is this corruption or not? Or lobbyism?” However, he appeared cautious about igniting controversy that could have implications for future aid.
The United States has been the largest provider of military support to Ukraine, supplying advanced weaponry such as the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
In mid-2024, a German think tank reported that only about half of the weapons and military equipment pledged to Ukraine by its Western allies had been delivered. The report specifically mentioned that the deliveries from the US, Germany, and the UK were falling “well below promises.” This reporting coincided with a significant breakthrough in the US Congress, where a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine was approved after extensive debate.
In 2023, a US government watchdog highlighted challenges in tracking the vast amounts of weapons sent to Ukraine, noting the lack of logistics training for inexperienced personnel managing the aid. In response to criticism regarding corruption, Zelensky asserted that Ukraine had established a “complex” anti-corruption system aimed at preventing individuals from exploiting the war for personal gain. He dismissed corruption allegations as Russian propaganda, emphasizing that Ukraine imposes strict penalties on those who misuse foreign military aid.
