Trump inflates Ukraine aid claims during meeting with Zelensky

The false claims came during Zelensky’s high-profile visit to Washington for talks aimed at ending the war with Russia

US President Donald Trump repeated false claims about US aid to Ukraine while sitting alongside President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, insisting the US had spent “well over $300 billion” on the war effort. Independent data and government records show the real number is far lower, raising questions about Trump’s accuracy in a high-stakes diplomatic moment, CNN reported.

The real figures

According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, US allocations to Ukraine from January 2022 through June 2025 amount to about $134 billion across military, financial and humanitarian support. The US inspector general overseeing Ukraine policy puts the broader appropriation at $185 billion, including funds used within the US defence sector or support directed to allied countries. None of these figures comes close to Trump’s claim of $300 to $350 billion.

The White House explanation

When pressed by reporters, a White House official attempted to defend the president’s number by citing indirect economic effects of the war, such as US household inflation, export losses to Russia, and higher fertilizer costs. Critics noted these were not aid to Ukraine but rather domestic consequences of the conflict, making their inclusion misleading. Analysts have dismissed the math as “nonsensical” and said it misrepresents the scope of US commitments.

False claims on mail-in ballots

The same Oval Office appearance also saw Trump revisit his attacks on mail-in ballots. He claimed the US was “the only country in the world” that uses them, despite the fact that democracies including Canada, Germany, the U.K., Switzerland and Australia all allow voting by mail. Trump also called mail-in ballots “corrupt” and said they undermine democracy, even though experts point to long-standing safeguards and low rates of fraud in US elections.

Misuse of Carter commission

To back his argument, Trump invoked former president Jimmy Carter’s bipartisan commission on election reform, suggesting it had declared mail-in ballots incompatible with honest elections. In reality, the commission highlighted risks but praised Oregon’s successful mail-only elections and recommended safeguards like signature verification. Carter himself later endorsed absentee voting and used it regularly.

High-stakes backdrop

The false claims came during Zelensky’s high-profile visit to Washington for talks aimed at ending the war with Russia. For Kyiv, securing credible security assurances and continued US backing is critical. Trump’s misstatements risk complicating those negotiations, sowing confusion over America’s actual contributions and casting doubt on the administration’s reliability in peace efforts.