US seeks $100 (CAD 140) billion aid repayment from Ukraine, eyes profit share
The US has reduced its demands for the repayment of aid provided to Ukraine since the start of the large-scale Russian invasion from $300 billion (CAD 420) to about $100 billion (CAD 140), Bloomberg reported, citing sources close to the matter. This reduced amount aligns more closely with Kyiv's estimates, which exceed $90 billion (CAD 125).
As Bloomberg noted, the administration of US President Donald Trump is pressuring Ukraine to agree to a profit-sharing deal from future Ukrainian investment projects, including those related to infrastructure and mineral deposits. From Washington's perspective, this is intended as compensation for the transfer of weapons and other forms of aid provided to Kyiv during Joe Biden's presidency.
The head of the US Treasury Department, Scott Bessent, told Bloomberg that negotiations between Kyiv and Washington are still ongoing.
- We are very, very close. It could even be signed as early as this week - he announced.
According to Bloomberg's sources, the Trump administration is expressing reluctance to participate in a special US investment fund designed to support the reconstruction of Ukraine in the future, which - as Bloomberg highlights - is a vital interest for Kyiv.
Instead, the Washington authorities insist that their support for Kyiv during the war should be regarded as a contribution to the fund. Ukrainian negotiators are finding it challenging to dissuade the American side from this viewpoint.
The White House does not respond to requests for comment
The Ukrainian government has declined to comment on the matter until the agreement is signed. The White House and the Treasury Department also did not respond to requests for comment.
According to the Ukraine Support Tracker, published on Tuesday by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, since the start of the Russian invasion over three years ago, European countries have granted Ukraine a total of 138 billion Euros (217 billion Canadian dollars) in aid, while the US provided 23 billion Euros (36 billion Canadian dollars) less. These figures include military, financial, and humanitarian aid.
