Category Military aid

Was Zelenskyy’s Pennsylvania visit ‘election interference’? Why experts say no

On Sept. 22, 2024, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited a Scranton, Pennsylvania, ammunition plant to thank its workers, with Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who was a surrogate for vice president and then-Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

Legal experts said that doesn't constitute "foreign election interference," which typically includes "covert, fraudulent or deceptive acts."

Zelenskyy's meeting with Shapiro was not a campaign event for either the governor or Harris.

Read MoreWas Zelenskyy’s Pennsylvania visit ‘election interference’? Why experts say no

Misleading Video of Zelenskyy Saying the U.S. To ‘Send Their Sons and Daughters to War’

Misbar investigated the viral video and found the claim to be misleading.

Zelenskyy Saying U.S. Will Send 'Sons and Daughters to War' Is Miscaptioned

Contrary to social media users' viral claim, the video is miscaptioned and does not feature a recent statement from Ukraine's Zelenskyy following a heated meeting with Trump on February 28. [...]

Zelenskyy stated, "The U.S. will have to send their sons and daughters exactly the same way as we are sending [our] sons and daughters to war."

However, Zelenskyy was referring to a hypothetical scenario where Ukraine's defeat could trigger a wider conflict, forcing the U.S. to intervene as a NATO member.

Read MoreMisleading Video of Zelenskyy Saying the U.S. To ‘Send Their Sons and Daughters to War’

Zelenskyy did not say the US will have to send their sons and daughters to fight in Ukraine

What was claimed
A video shows Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying the US will have to send their sons and daughters to fight in Ukraine.

Our verdict
This clip is from 2023 and has been taken out of context. In the full video, Mr Zelenskyy discusses how Ukraine losing the war would risk Russia invading Baltic NATO member states, potentially leading to US involvement on the ground.

Read MoreZelenskyy did not say the US will have to send their sons and daughters to fight in Ukraine

How much aid has the US given to Ukraine?

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the US has been the country providing the largest amount of assistance to Ukraine in cash terms. However, it’s not clear what the figures of $300 billion or $350 billion are based on, and these figures have been widely questioned.

Read MoreHow much aid has the US given to Ukraine?

How much U.S. aid went to Ukraine? Detangling Trump, Zelensky’s claims. – The Washington Post

In his remarks, Zelensky went on to say that he knew a large part of U.S. aid came not in direct funds but in the forms of weapons, training, humanitarian programs and in other areas. He said: “I don’t know where all this money is.”

Trump appeared to take the comment as an admission that the money was lost. But while Zelensky said he did not know exactly how it was spent, his understanding appeared to comport with U.S. accounting that shows a large share went to activities carried out to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including within the United States.

Read MoreHow much U.S. aid went to Ukraine? Detangling Trump, Zelensky’s claims. – The Washington Post

Where Is the Missing $100 Billion in U.S. Aid for Ukraine?

On February 2, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said he had only received $75 billion of the $175 billion the United States had spent on Ukraine. The cry went up, what happened to the other $100 billion? Was it lost or stolen? The answer is no. Only part of the aid goes through Ukrainian control. A large part pays for activities as a result of the war but not to Ukraine directly. These include the United States training of Ukrainian forces, global humanitarian assistance, additional costs of U.S. surge forces in Europe, and intelligence support for both NATO and Ukraine.

As CSIS has reported before, "aid to Ukraine" is a misnomer because 90 percent of military aid is spent in the United States. Of aid overall, 60 percent is spent in the United States, about 25 percent is spent in Ukraine, and the final 15 percent is spent globally.

Read MoreWhere Is the Missing $100 Billion in U.S. Aid for Ukraine?

Where Is the Missing $100 Billion in U.S. Aid for Ukraine?

On February 2, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said he had only received $75 billion of the $175 billion the United States had spent on Ukraine. The cry went up, what happened to the other $100 billion? Was it lost or stolen? The answer is no. Only part of the aid goes through Ukrainian control. A large part pays for activities as a result of the war but not to Ukraine directly. These include the United States training of Ukrainian forces, global humanitarian assistance, additional costs of U.S. surge forces in Europe, and intelligence support for both NATO and Ukraine.

As CSIS has reported before, "aid to Ukraine" is a misnomer because 90 percent of military aid is spent in the United States. Of aid overall, 60 percent is spent in the United States, about 25 percent is spent in Ukraine, and the final 15 percent is spent globally.

Read MoreWhere Is the Missing $100 Billion in U.S. Aid for Ukraine?

Biden urged aid for Israel, Ukraine. He didn’t declare World War III

A video in a recent Facebook post cobbles together quotes from an Oct. 19 address by President Joe Biden as evidence that the commander in chief has confirmed World War III is underway.

President Joe Biden urged aid for Israel and Ukraine in a recent primetime address; he didn't declare World War III.

We rate claims Biden confirmed World War III on live TV - or anywhere - False.

Read MoreBiden urged aid for Israel, Ukraine. He didn’t declare World War III