Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told German public broadcaster ARD that the funding for social aid allocated to Ukrainian refugees by various European countries should replenish the Ukrainian budget, so that Kyiv itself would distribute the funds among those refugees.
Such an approach to the humanitarian crisis would sustain the Ukrainian economy, which had been suffering from the war with Russia, the president added.
“If the [German] government wants to help Ukrainians, that is admirable. For example, someone who has left the country for Germany and is living there, receiving money from them (…) But sometimes, people receive support from both [their new country of residence] and [Ukraine] (…) And that’s why I’ve always said that it would be much better for us if Germany supported Ukrainians by adding money to the Ukrainian budget.”
Zelensky stressed that part of Ukraine’s funding went to Europe, as people who had fled the war took the money with them, with the funds allocated to such refugees flowing into the economies of other countries.
In the end, our money left, and European money remained where Ukrainian citizens stayed (…) When the world talks about financial support for Ukrainians, I would like to remind them where most of the money ends up.
The President thanked those Ukrainians who return home, work, pay taxes, develop the economy and support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
