Trump demands Europe cough up more cash for Ukraine, says war with Russia wouldn’t have happened on his watch

Former President Trump on Thursday demanded that Europe do more to help Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia, saying the U.S. has played too big a role. 

In a post on his Truth Social account, the Republican frontrunner questioned why the U.S. – despite having an ocean between it and Ukraine – was giving more money than Europe. 

“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?” Trump asked. 

He clarified that Ukraine’s “survival and strength” was important to the U.S. but that it should be of greater concern to Europe. 

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“GET MOVING EUROPE!” Trump said. “In addition, I am the only one who speaks for ‘ME’ and, while it is a total mess caused by Crooked Joe Biden and the Incompetent Democrats, if I were President, this War would have never started!” 

Russia invaded Ukraine in late February 2022. In the immediate months following, Ukraine saw widespread support from Western allies. But that support has waned as the war drags on with no clear victory in sight. 

Per the Institute for the World Economy, Europe has a slight edge over the United States in terms of financial and humanitarian aid, but the U.S. has provided significantly more military aid. 

It found that Europe would have to double its current level and pace of arms assistance to keep pace with the U.S. 

House Republicans are divided over a $95 billion foreign aid bill that the Senate passed in February. That legislation provides funding for Ukraine, Israel and other allies, as well as humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza and Ukraine. It also provides replenishment cash for the U.S. military to replace weapons sent to Ukraine.

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President Biden has urged Congress to pass the aid, saying that besides critical support to Israel and Ukraine, it would offer “desperately needed humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.” He said he would sign the funding package right away, sending a message that “we won’t let Iran or Russia succeed.”

Nearly 50,000 Russian soldiers have died in the war in Ukraine, according to a new statistical analysis.  (Ukraine Foreign Ministry/ Twitter)

Pentagon leaders reiterated that urgency during a hearing with House appropriators on Wednesday, calling the situation in Ukraine dire. 

“Whether it’s munitions, whether it’s vehicles, whether it’s platforms, Ukraine is being outmatched by the Russians,” Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. “I’ll just tell you that Ukraine right now is facing some dire battlefield conditions.”

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Meanwhile, top NATO and European Union officials on Thursday urged foreign ministers from leading industrialized nations to take quick, concrete steps to provide more air defense systems and artillery to Ukraine, warning that continued delays could tilt the war in Moscow’s favor. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.