US slashes Ukraine aid repayment demand as deal nears
The US has reduced its demands for the return of aid provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion from around $300 (€264) billion to about $100 (€88) billion, Bloomberg reported, citing sources close to the matter. The reduced amount aligns closely with Kyiv's estimates, which are over $90 (€79) billion.
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 would serve 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 hesitant to join the US in a special investment fund that is intended to support the reconstruction of Ukraine in the future, which - as Bloomberg highlights - is of critical importance to Kyiv.
Instead, the authorities in Washington insist that the support for Kyiv during the war should be considered a contribution to the fund. Ukrainian negotiators are struggling to persuade the American side away from this notion.
The White House does not respond to requests for comment
The Ukrainian government declined to comment on the matter until the agreement is signed. The White House and the Treasury Department have also not responded 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 in aid, while the US provided €23 billion less. These figures include military, financial, and humanitarian aid.
