"$20 billion to 'completely burn' Russia" - Zelensky: Support can be provided as aid or loans
Ukraine is seeking an additional $20 billion in financial aid from its allies in order to gain a ground advantage against Russia, a senior official in Ukraine's Defense Ministry revealed to Politico.
"Everyone sees that Russia is burning and we want it to burn even more. But we need money to achieve this," the Ukrainian official stressed.
The official request for $20 billion is expected to be presented on June 18, at the next meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense - also known as the "Ramstein scheme" - where allies coordinate economic and military aid to Kiev. According to sources, the issue was raised by Ukrainian Defense Minister Fedorov and other government officials in meetings with representatives of Norway, Sweden, Germany and Canada.
As the Ukrainian official reveals, Kiev plans to ask each partner separately for a contribution of $2 to $6 billion. "Support can be provided either as direct assistance or in the form of a loan," he explained.
At the same time, support for Ukraine is expected to be at the center of the NATO Summit in July in Ankara, on the sidelines of which Zelensky will also be present.
If these funds are finally granted, Ukraine intends to channel them to strengthening air defense, as well as to increasing contributions to the “Priority Ukraine List” (PURL) - a specialized NATO program through which allies purchase American weapons on behalf of Kiev. The money will also be allocated to the purchase of ammunition, electronic warfare systems, as well as direct orders from domestic Ukrainian defense industries.
Kiev has significantly improved its drone and missile technology, launching a multi-pronged campaign in recent months: from short-range drones that have turned the front line into a no-go zone, to medium-range systems that are striking Russian supply and transportation lines. At the same time, Ukrainian forces are conducting military operations deep inside Russian territory, targeting factories, refineries, ports, and other strategic infrastructure.
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