**Ukraine Receives Less Than Half of US Aid**
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says his country has not received half of the $177 billion allocated by the United States to support Ukraine during the full-scale war.
In an interview with a U.S. podcaster, Zelensky implied that corruption or lobbying by U.S. companies might be the reason for this. He made these comments when asked about concerns over corruption in Ukraine.
The United States has been providing most of Ukraine’s military aid to resist Russian aggression. However, some critics have raised concerns about corruption risks and the illicit arms trade. Despite these concerns, U.S. watchdogs have closely monitored the assistance provided to Ukraine.
Zelensky acknowledged that corruption exists in Ukraine but said his country is working hard to combat it through a complex anti-corruption system. He also noted that what might be considered corruption in Ukraine could be seen as “lobbyism” elsewhere.
The President pointed out that if half of the $177 billion allocated by the U.S. has not been received, then there must be corruption involved. He gave an example of how Ukraine’s own cargo planes were not used to transport arms from the U.S., resulting in wasted money that could have been spent on buying more arms.
**Ukraine’s Fight Against Corruption**
Zelensky stressed that Ukraine does not profit from the war and that claims about profiteering come from Russian propaganda. He also said that Ukrainian authorities strictly punish anyone who attempts to benefit from foreign assistance.
Since the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2014, Ukraine has made efforts to combat corruption. However, civil society groups and activists have raised concerns that these anti-graft efforts may be slowing down during the full-scale war.
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