Zelensky discloses his request to Trump for Russian assets to purchase US arms
The Ukrainian leader stated that he presented this proposal to the US president-elect during their phone conversation. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has stated that he encouraged US President-elect Donald Trump to release frozen Russian assets to enable Ukraine to purchase more US weapons and use these reserves as security in possible peace discussions with Moscow.
Approximately $300 billion in funds belonging to the Russian central bank were frozen by Western nations following the escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022, with more than two-thirds of that amount held in the EU.
In a three-hour interview with US podcaster Lex Fridman on Sunday, Zelensky emphasized that “Ukraine wants peace,” but that security guarantees are necessary to extend beyond Trump’s four-year tenure in office.
He revealed that he brought this topic up with the president-elect during a phone call in November, shortly after the US election.
Zelensky noted that “a lot of money for... military industry, in Ukraine or in Europe, with India, Saudi Arabia, and the US” will be needed during Trump’s presidency.
“So the question is where you will get it. My answer was to Trump. I said this is one of the security guarantees. Take $300 billion of frozen Russian assets. We will take it. Take money, what we need for our domestic production, and we will buy all the weapons from the US,” he said.
He argued that such a deal “will be very good for your industry, for the US. We will put money there. Russian money, not Ukrainian, not European…. They have to pay for this… This is one of the security guarantees,” Zelensky explained.
Recently, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accused Zelensky of attempting to bribe him with €500 million from the frozen Russian assets to gain Slovakia’s support for Ukraine's NATO membership. Fico claimed that Zelensky made the proposal to soften the blow for Slovakia, which relies on Russian energy, following Ukraine's choice not to extend a gas transit agreement with Moscow. The Slovak premier stated he rejected the “absurd” offer.
Russian officials have condemned the seizure of their funds as theft and warned that it could further erode global trust in the Western financial system. They have also indicated that they would respond in kind to any such actions by the US and EU if deemed necessary.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
Approximately $300 billion in funds belonging to the Russian central bank were frozen by Western nations following the escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022, with more than two-thirds of that amount held in the EU.
In a three-hour interview with US podcaster Lex Fridman on Sunday, Zelensky emphasized that “Ukraine wants peace,” but that security guarantees are necessary to extend beyond Trump’s four-year tenure in office.
He revealed that he brought this topic up with the president-elect during a phone call in November, shortly after the US election.
Zelensky noted that “a lot of money for... military industry, in Ukraine or in Europe, with India, Saudi Arabia, and the US” will be needed during Trump’s presidency.
“So the question is where you will get it. My answer was to Trump. I said this is one of the security guarantees. Take $300 billion of frozen Russian assets. We will take it. Take money, what we need for our domestic production, and we will buy all the weapons from the US,” he said.
He argued that such a deal “will be very good for your industry, for the US. We will put money there. Russian money, not Ukrainian, not European…. They have to pay for this… This is one of the security guarantees,” Zelensky explained.
Recently, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accused Zelensky of attempting to bribe him with €500 million from the frozen Russian assets to gain Slovakia’s support for Ukraine's NATO membership. Fico claimed that Zelensky made the proposal to soften the blow for Slovakia, which relies on Russian energy, following Ukraine's choice not to extend a gas transit agreement with Moscow. The Slovak premier stated he rejected the “absurd” offer.
Russian officials have condemned the seizure of their funds as theft and warned that it could further erode global trust in the Western financial system. They have also indicated that they would respond in kind to any such actions by the US and EU if deemed necessary.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
