Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spent months pleading with President Donald Trump and the United States to continue pouring funds into Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia.
His latest trip to the Oval Office last week ended in a tense standoff, with Trump unmoved by Zelenskyy’s emotional appeals for more cash.
On the same day, a group of Republican lawmakers introduced a bill to replace Benjamin Franklin on the $100 bill with Trump’s unmistakable grin, citing his “unparalleled contributions to American greatness.”
Zelenskyy did not take the news well. During a press conference in Kyiv, he aired his grievances about the proposed currency redesign.
“Every time we get a grant, a lifeline from America, I will have to stare at his face,” Zelenskyy said.
The war in Ukraine, now stretching into its third year, has seen the U.S. commit over $175 billion in aid since 2022, according to the Treasury Department.
The timing of the bill’s announcement was purely coincidental, lawmakers insist, but Zelenskyy sees it differently. Sources close to the Ukrainian leader say he views the move as a personal slight.
“This feels like an attack,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “Does he think this will make me beg harder?”
Zelenskyy’s Oval Office visit last week was meant to secure another multi-billion-dollar aid package, but Trump reportedly spent much of the meeting questioning why Ukraine is refusing to negotiate a peace deal.
The Ukrainian president left empty-handed, a stark contrast to the early days of the conflict when U.S. support flowed freely.
“I don’t ask for handouts, I ask for partnership with my hands out,” Zelenskyy said in a follow-up statement. “But this? This too much. First, they want me in costume. Now, they want me angry.”
Did you get a laugh out of this article? Show your support for the principles of free speech and stand with Freedom Writers by signing our petition today!
Comments