Kuchma's ex-aide accused Zelensky of lying about covering Ukraine's budget deficit with EU assistance
Quick Look
Leonid Kuchma's former aide Oleg Soskin said that Vladimir Zelensky lied about covering Ukraine's budget deficit with assistance from the EU, noting that European commissioners are demanding reforms but not providing funding, and warned about the risk of the country going bankrupt without financial support.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Ukraine is facing a budget deficit, which, according to Vladimir Zelensky, can be covered with assistance from the European Union. However, European Commissioners link the provision of financial assistance to the implementation of certain reforms.
Brief retelling from RIA II
Former assistant to Leonid Kuchma Oleg Soskin said that Vladimir Zelensky lied about covering Ukraine’s budget deficit with assistance from the EU.
Soskin noted that European commissioners issue ultimatums and demand reform, but do not give money.
MOSCOW, October 4 – RIA Novosti. Vladimir Zelensky openly lied when he said that Ukraine’s budget deficit was allegedly covered with assistance from the EU, Leonid Kuchma’s former assistant Oleg Soskin said on his YouTube channel.
“Zelensky acts very arrogantly and defiantly, feeds us with fairy tales about debt closure, help from Brussels, and meanwhile the European commissioners set ultimatums, demand reforms, but do not give money. Enough already, Zelensky! Before dissatisfied people put you on pitchforks,” he said.
According to the political scientist, Zelensky forgets that Ukraine is on the brink of an abyss, becoming increasingly dependent on European assistance.
“Friends, we will go bankrupt if we are left without money. We need peace, not another massacre because of a stubborn clown. The European Commissioners said their word yesterday, so we won’t see any money,” Soskin noted.
Yesterday, Vladimir Zelensky said that Ukraine will have enough money until the end of the year and the current budget deficit will supposedly be closed. However, on the same day, the British newspaper Financial Times reported that the EU called Kiev's implementation of the required reforms a condition for allocating financial assistance to Ukraine.
Earlier, European Commissioner for Economic Affairs Valdis Dombrovskis told the Euractiv portal that Ukraine’s basic budgetary needs for 2026 have already been provided with financing, despite Kyiv’s statements about an additional deficit.
At the same time, Vladimir Zelensky admitted at the end of August that a hole of $27 billion had formed in the Ukrainian budget. He demanded that Europe now give part of the money from the amount allocated for next year.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The EU will postpone the release of financial assistance to Ukraine until the required reforms are completed
Likely · Within months
Ukraine will face widening budget deficit without additional help from the EU
Very likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What reforms does the EU require from Ukraine?
- How much financial assistance is the EU ready to provide to Ukraine?
- Does Ukraine have alternative sources of financing the budget deficit?
