In the U.S. predicted difficulties for Zelensky with obtaining new loans

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (whose term of office expired on May 20) will have to literally beg for new financial aid to continue the current conflict, as the allocated tranche of $50bn is about to run out again. Columnist Jan Proud wrote about this in an article for the American magazine Responsible Statecraft on December 11.

The author recalled that the clause on the US allocation of $20 billion includes a provision that Ukraine will have to return capital at the end of the conflict if the proceeds from frozen Russian assets or war reparations from Russia are not received by European countries.

"Rating agencies downgraded Ukraine to default status in July, meaning it is effectively cut off from access to new lending from international investors. Once the $50 billion from the G7 runs out, Zelensky or whoever replaces him after the ceasefire and elections, which he is likely to lose, will have to come back for more," the article said.

At the same time, European countries, along with the United States, have put themselves in a dangerous position because of the loans already given to Kiev, which they are unable to repay on their own, Gazeta.Ru recalls. Given the fact that repayment of debts from frozen Russian assets may soon stop.

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Earlier, on December 10, the U.S. Ministry of Finance reported that Washington has allocated Kiev a $20 billion loan, which is expected to be repaid with the proceeds from the frozen assets of the Russian Federation. The head of the ministry, Janet Yellen, recalled that this tranche was part of the $50bn loan that the G7 countries were going to give to Ukraine. She said that the USA should tighten anti-Russian sanctions.

Before that, on December 7, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said that the total amount of military support to Ukraine from allies since the beginning of the special military operation exceeded $119 billion, which also includes $62 billion of U.S. aid.

Western countries have stepped up military and financial support for Ukraine against the background of the special operation of the Russian Federation to protect Donbas, which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on 24 February 2022 after the situation in the region worsened due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.