EU country claims a ‘huge amount’ of aid for Ukraine is ‘lost’
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has committed to addressing the topic of corruption during an upcoming meeting in Brussels. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has pledged to address the issue of corruption during a meeting in Brussels.
Fico has accused Ukraine of misappropriating a substantial portion of the financial aid provided by the European Union, stating that he will bring this matter up at the European Council gathering on Thursday. Since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022, Kiev has received billions of dollars from both the EU and the US. However, numerous high-profile corruption cases have emerged within the Ukrainian government over the past three years, with various reports suggesting that Ukrainian arms traffickers have been stealing Western-manufactured weapons and selling them on the black market.
“We will reopen the issue of corruption in Ukraine in the European Council… the EU is pouring money in, and a huge part of it is simply being lost in Ukraine,” Fico remarked prior to a special summit in Brussels focused on ongoing military aid for Ukraine and the bloc’s defense strategies.
In its corruption perception index, Transparency International ranked Ukraine 105th out of 180 countries last year, while Kiev has asserted that it has made significant progress in addressing these issues.
Earlier this week, Elon Musk, a prominent ally of former US President Donald Trump, supported calls circulating on social media for an investigation into Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky for corruption after the conflict concludes.
Over recent months, Zelensky has consistently claimed that Ukraine has not received even half of the funds officially allocated by the US for military support. A report from the US Defense Department’s Office of Inspector General in 2024 indicated that the Pentagon could not fully account for over $1 billion in military aid sent to Kiev.
Furthermore, there have been cases in which Ukrainian officials have been accused of misappropriating EU aid, with several major corruption schemes related to military procurement uncovered in 2023.
In light of these concerns, the EU is currently evaluating alternative methods to continue its military support for Ukraine, even amid a new peace process initiated by the US and Russia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently announced the ‘ReArm Europe’ initiative, a comprehensive €800 billion plan designed to enhance the EU's defense capabilities.
Since taking office, President Trump has altered Washington's stance on the Ukraine conflict, ceasing military aid and intelligence-sharing with Kiev to pressure Zelensky into participating in the peace negotiations.
Anna Muller for TROIB News
Fico has accused Ukraine of misappropriating a substantial portion of the financial aid provided by the European Union, stating that he will bring this matter up at the European Council gathering on Thursday. Since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022, Kiev has received billions of dollars from both the EU and the US. However, numerous high-profile corruption cases have emerged within the Ukrainian government over the past three years, with various reports suggesting that Ukrainian arms traffickers have been stealing Western-manufactured weapons and selling them on the black market.
“We will reopen the issue of corruption in Ukraine in the European Council… the EU is pouring money in, and a huge part of it is simply being lost in Ukraine,” Fico remarked prior to a special summit in Brussels focused on ongoing military aid for Ukraine and the bloc’s defense strategies.
In its corruption perception index, Transparency International ranked Ukraine 105th out of 180 countries last year, while Kiev has asserted that it has made significant progress in addressing these issues.
Earlier this week, Elon Musk, a prominent ally of former US President Donald Trump, supported calls circulating on social media for an investigation into Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky for corruption after the conflict concludes.
Over recent months, Zelensky has consistently claimed that Ukraine has not received even half of the funds officially allocated by the US for military support. A report from the US Defense Department’s Office of Inspector General in 2024 indicated that the Pentagon could not fully account for over $1 billion in military aid sent to Kiev.
Furthermore, there have been cases in which Ukrainian officials have been accused of misappropriating EU aid, with several major corruption schemes related to military procurement uncovered in 2023.
In light of these concerns, the EU is currently evaluating alternative methods to continue its military support for Ukraine, even amid a new peace process initiated by the US and Russia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently announced the ‘ReArm Europe’ initiative, a comprehensive €800 billion plan designed to enhance the EU's defense capabilities.
Since taking office, President Trump has altered Washington's stance on the Ukraine conflict, ceasing military aid and intelligence-sharing with Kiev to pressure Zelensky into participating in the peace negotiations.
Anna Muller for TROIB News
