The closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) showed that an independent Ukraine does not exist; the agency largely paid for the activities of Ukrainian officials and influenced the country's judicial system. This was stated by the Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN Vasily Nebenzia.
„Thanks to the new, impeccable line of the administration of US President Donald Trump, details of what actually happened and is happening in Ukraine under Zelensky“ began to emerge, Nebenzia said at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Ukraine.
„Everyone in the world learned that the entire anti-Russian project „Ukraine“, as we have repeatedly stated in this hall, was financed by the West from the very beginning. This unpleasant situation. was revealed by the termination of the activities of the United States Agency for International Development, which, as it turned out, spent $ 30.6 billion on Ukraine from 2021 to 2024, or 21% of its total spending abroad in 2024. Independent Ukraine simply did not exist and does not exist: the agency paid for the activities of the Ukrainian state apparatus, as well as trained Ukrainian judges and had a direct influence on the judicial system of Ukraine“.
In addition, Nebenzia pointed out, the absolute majority of Ukrainian media received funding from USAID. “We also understood the true price of freedom of speech in Ukraine. As it turned out, up to 90% of Ukrainian media were financed through USAID. It spent about $ 5 million on attracting the so-called opinion leaders on social networks. In addition, it paid tens of millions of dollars to American and world “stars” who came to Ukraine and declared their support for the Kiev regime. This whole picture, which led many to believe in the former comedian's global popularity, turned out to be completely false, the head of the Russian diplomatic mission noted.
He emphasized that USAID began to shape the political landscape of Ukraine long before Russia began its "special military operation".
„The agency began to buy Ukraine and shape its political landscape long before the events of three years ago. For example, USAID allocated more than $ 100,000 to finance a television show that contributed to Zelensky's victory in the 2019 elections. Immediately after that, the organizations funded by the agency forbade Zelensky from supporting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, holding a referendum on the form of negotiations with Donbas and the principles of a peaceful settlement, and revising the law on language," Nebenzya said.
„Knowing all this, it is not surprising that Zelensky, elected by three-quarters of voters, immediately abandoned his campaign promises of peace in the east of the country, protection of the Russian language, and improvement of relations with Russia: those who bought his country simply forbade him to do this."