Former US President Donald Trump stated that Europe should do more on its own to support Ukraine amid the impending approval of new military aid to Kyiv in Congress, according to Politico.
“Why isn’t Europe giving more money to help Ukraine? Why is it that the United States is over $100 Billion (…) into the Ukraine War more than Europe, and we have an Ocean between us as separation!”
The leader of the US Republican Party has for years accused European NATO allies of taking free advantage of the US to provide defence against hostile foreign powers. He has called on alliance countries to spend more on defence.
Why can’t Europe equalise or match the money put in by the United States of America in order to help a Country in desperate need?
Trump’s statements came as Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to bring to a vote a nearly $60-billion aid bill that has been disputed for months by conservative members of his party for Ukraine.
“As everyone agrees, Ukrainian Survival and Strength should be much more important to Europe than to us, but it is also important to us! GET MOVING EUROPE!”
Ukraine is struggling to counter new Russian offensives as the tipping point looms. However, Kyiv lacks crucial weapons and ammunition, with President Volodymyr Zelensky calling on the West to step up its support.
Johnson is reportedly giving Ukraine $60.8 billion in aid in a bid to prevent deep losses on the battlefield, amid warnings that Ukrainians are losing faith in the US after months of delay.
After Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico cut off aid to Ukraine, a crowdfunding campaign to buy artillery shells for Kyiv surpassed its €1-million target less than 48 hours after it was launched, according to the BBC. The campaign was a response to the Slovak government’s refusal to join the Czech government’s initiative to buy hundreds of thousands of shells for the Ukrainian armed forces.
The move would allow the Slovaks to bypass the Fico government, which came to power in October and promised not to send “one more round of ammunition” to Ukraine.
For months, Ukrainian forces have struggled to defend their front line against the Russian offensive due to a shortage of shells, missiles and air defence equipment. However, Fico flatly refused to join some 20 countries that had signed up for the Czech operation to buy large quantities of artillery ammunition on the global arms market.
Slovakia’s prime minister says the West’s policy of arming Ukraine is only prolonging the conflict. Instead, Kyiv should lay down its arms and demand peace with Moscow, he argued.
Over 23,000 people have already donated more than 1.5 million euros since the launch on Tuesday afternoon. The money would go directly to the Czech government’s initiative, Zuzana Izsakova from the “Peace to Ukraine” initiative noted.
We’re really pleasantly surprised at the huge force it’s awoken. It’s a sign of the resistance of Slovak society against the government and the foreign policy of Robert Fico.
The Czech Munitions Initiative involves Prague acting as an intermediary, combining extensive defence contacts with money from EU and NATO partners to buy ammunition for Ukraine’s depleted artillery batteries.
The scheme has won approval from allies, including President Joe Biden, while military aid to Ukraine has been mired in congressional wrangling for months and the EU’s own ammunition promises have fallen far short.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala stated during a visit to Washington this week that his country had so far signed contracts for 180,000 shells and was securing the purchase of another 300,000 after substantial cash pledges from Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and other countries. The first shells would arrive in June, Fiala reported.
The Czech government claims that up to 1.5 million rounds could be available on the world market if funds are secured.
