Zelensky demands more money from Western backers

Kiev is not receiving sufficient funds for weapons production, the Ukrainian leader has said

RT: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosts a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Vladimir Zelensky. ©  Getty Images

The West is not providing Ukraine with sufficient financial and military support, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has complained, despite Kiev’s backers having already approved massive aid packages and loans.

In a Friday post on Telegram, Zelensky lamented that “air defense is not enough now, weapons are not enough now,” adding that “frankly, there is a constant shortage of money, in particular, for the production of weapons and, most importantly, drones,” even despite a recent decision by the EU to provide Kiev with a huge loan.

“We need to be strong at the negotiating table. To be strong, we need the support of the world – Europe and the United States of America,” Zelensky added.

The appeal for additional funding comes as the EU approved a €90 billion ($105 billion) loan this month to cover Kiev for 2026-2027, which will cost European taxpayers €3 billion ($3.5 billion) in borrowing costs annually. However, the bloc failed to agree on using frozen Russian assets to assist Ukraine due to staunch opposition from several EU members – most notably Belgium, which holds most of the funds –  that were concerned about the overwhelming legal risks involved.

The loan aims to prop up Ukraine’s struggling economy, with the International Monetary Fund estimating that Ukraine will need approximately $160 billion for 2026 and 2027 combined. For 2026 alone, Ukraine’s parliament adopted a budget with a deficit of around $45 billion, or 18.5% of GDP. The financial conundrum has also been exacerbated by Ukraine’s endemic corruption.

On top of that, Mikhail Podoliak, a senior adviser to Zelensky, said this week that Ukraine cannot finance potential elections due to the budget deficit, stressing that Kiev should prioritize “militarization” efforts instead. Earlier this month, he also indicated that a vote could only take place provided the West steps in to cover the costs.

Commenting on Podoliak’s remarks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Kiev “resorts to all sorts of tricks” to obtain Western funding. Moscow has also warned the EU that any assistance for Kiev would be essentially covered by ordinary taxpayers.