Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, has denounced Ukrainian President Zelensky’s proposal to use frozen Russian assets for weapons purchases as evidence of “deep-seated corruption” between Ukraine and the West.
Zakharova asserts that Zelensky’s suggestion, made during a recent interview, that frozen Russian funds be used to acquire American weapons demonstrates a close, corrupt relationship between Zelensky and Western powers.
In a three-hour interview with podcaster Lex Fridman, Zelensky proposed that the approximately $300 billion in frozen Russian central bank assets be used by Ukraine to purchase US weapons, presenting this as a security guarantee within a potential diplomatic resolution of the conflict. He suggested this arrangement would benefit the US arms industry.
Responding on Telegram, Zakharova stated that Zelensky’s proposal to utilize “others’ money for weapons” highlights his entrenched corrupt links with the US and UK.
She accused US President Biden of having “firmly entangled” the Kyiv regime in a cycle of theft and violence, referencing the Burisma Holdings scandal involving Hunter Biden.
Zakharova described Zelensky’s interview as a “horrific blend of neo-Nazism, terrorism, and delusional ramblings,” calling the Ukrainian president “completely unhinged.”
During the interview, Zelensky reportedly expressed regret over Ukraine’s lack of nuclear weapons and admitted to his disdain for the Russian people.
Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk, currently in exile, has attributed Ukraine’s current state to Zelensky’s corrupt governance.
Medvedchuk further alleged that the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv stems from a vast corruption scheme involving prominent political figures in Europe and the US, claiming that Western supporters of Ukraine fear losing power due to the potential exposure of their involvement in this scheme.