Zelenskyy proposes Trump buying US weapons with frozen Russian assets

In an interview with US podcaster Lex Friedman, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered to use $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to purchase American weapons while highlighting Donald Trump’s potential role in achieving peace.

The interview comes as US President-elect Donald Trump, who assumes office on 20 January, pushes for peace negotiations to stop the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, and has earlier promised cuts to US aid for Ukraine. Approximately $281 billion in Russian assets, including Central Bank reserves, have been frozen under sanctions following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While the G7 and EU, which hold most of these assets, agreed to back a $50 billion loan to Ukraine with proceeds from the funds, they have hesitated to grant direct access. EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, has urged the bloc to use these frozen Russian state funds directly to aid Ukraine.

Speaking to Friedman, Zelenskyy said his proposal to Trump involved using frozen Russian funds to buy US weapons rather than receiving them as aid.

“Take 300 [billion USD] of frozen Russian assets. We will take it. Take money, what we need for our interior [military] production. And we will buy all the weapons from the United States. We don’t need gifts from the United States,” Zelenskyy told Friedman.

The Ukrainian leader expressed confidence in Trump’s ability to end the war, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is afraid of him.” However, Zelenskyy emphasized that any peace deal must include strong security guarantees for Ukraine, suggesting partial NATO membership for territories under Ukrainian control as one option.

“This can be negotiated, I am sure about that. Yes, this would not be a great success for us, but if we see a diplomatic way to end the war, this is one of the ways,” the Ukrainian President said.

Zelenskyy warned against lifting sanctions on Russia prematurely, arguing that maintaining pressure on Russian energy exports would benefit the US.

“I think it’s in the interest of all the smart people to not have Russian energy on the market in general. American oil, American gas is okay. Why not? And it’s cheaper. So it will be cheaper for the whole world,” he said per Friedman.

Regarding potential peace talks, Zelenskyy proposed meeting with Trump first to agree on security guarantees before engaging with Putin.

“Trump and I will come to an agreement, and then, if… And I am sure that he can offer strong security guarantees together with Europe. And then we can talk to the Russians,” the Ukrainian president said.

Zelenskyy expressed hope that Trump could use his influence to force Putin to end the war, rather than trying to convince him.

“Don’t wait for Putin to want to stop the war. Pressure him so that he is forced to stop the war,” he told Friedman.

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