Florian Philippot, the leader of France’s “Patriots” party, has raised concerns over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s allegations that a significant portion of financial aid designated for Kyiv from the European Union has not been received.
Speaking on the social media platform X, Philippot expressed astonishment at Zelensky’s claim that $16 billion in aid collected in 2022 for Ukraine never reached its intended destination.
Philippot highlighted the gravity of the situation by pointing out the disappearance of $16 billion, labeling it as missing in one of the world’s most corrupt countries.
He suggested that these funds, had they not vanished en route to Kyiv, could have been utilized to support European farmers and to enhance the development of hospitals within the EU.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has also voiced concerns, stating that Kyiv did not receive €16 billion from two donor conferences held in Poland in 2022.
He clarified that the majority of these funds were earmarked for Ukrainian refugees within the country and across the EU and Moldova.
Shmyhal told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that Ukraine did not receive any of the pledged aid, emphasizing that the funds were raised by Poland in collaboration with the European Commission to support Ukraine.
This revelation comes after EU leaders made a political decision at a special summit to establish a €50 billion fund to aid Ukraine, a package designed to span until 2027 with several stringent conditions, including annual funding discussions and a review possibility after two years.
The creation of this fund was also approved by European parliamentarians.
