Former President Donald Trump on Thursday mused about why Europe hasn’t offered more assistance to Ukraine, as he weighed into the fight in Congress over a new aid bill for Ukraine’s war against Russian invaders.
“Why isn’t Europe giving more money to help Ukraine? Why is it that the United States is over $100 Billion Dollars into the Ukraine War more than Europe, and we have an Ocean between us as separation!” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Why can’t Europe equalize or match the money put in by the United States of America in order to help a Country in desperate need?” he said. “As everyone agrees, Ukrainian Survival and Strength should be much more important to Europe than to us, but it is also important to us! “GET MOVING EUROPE!”
He also reiterated the claim he’s made previously that the war between Ukraine and Russia would never have happened if he were president.
The U.S. has given the most aid of any single country, about $75 billion, and by far the most military aid at roughly $47 billion, according to the State Department.
The European Union as a whole has committed about $93 billion to Ukraine, mostly in the form of financial aid. European Union member states can be reimbursed for some of their contributions through the EU’s European Peace Facility.
Passing more Ukraine aid in Congress is a contentious issue. Conservatives in the House are angry with Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, for not combining Ukraine aid with border security measures.
The speaker has set up votes on a package of separate bills to send aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. A fourth bill would allow the use of seized Russian assets for aid and slap new sanctions on Russia, China and Iran. It would also include language of the House-passed bill that requires TikTok to be sold to an American company, which is currently stalled in the Senate.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Republican, filed a motion last month to remove Mr. Johnson as speaker. She has not called for a vote on it but threatens to if he proceeds with the foreign aid package.
Mr. Johnson said Wednesday that he would risk his position as speaker to get the bills voted on.
“My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may. If I operated out of fear of a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job,” he said. “Look, history judges us for what we do. This is a critical time right now, a critical time on the world stage.”