By Katelyn Caralle, U.S. Political Reporter For Dailymail.com
21:41 23 Jul 2023, updated 23:24 23 Jul 2023
- Trump said Europe is ‘smiling all the way to the bank’ because they are ‘getting away with murder’ by not giving more financial assistance to Ukraine
- Comes as U.S. continues to be the biggest funder of Ukraine’s defensive against Russian aggression when ‘they’re right there’ and the U.S. is ‘an ocean apart’
- Ex-President said Europe should be paying the same, if not more, than the U.S.
Donald Trump accused Europe of ‘smiling all the way to the bank’ because it has avoided forking over too much cash and military aid to Ukraine during its war with Russia.
Instead, Trump says, the U.S. has been burdened with the brunt of assistance for Ukraine – even coming from a less at-risk area across the ocean from the fighting.
Speaking with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, Trump said he would make sure Europe was doling out the same, if not more, financial aid to Ukraine than the U.S. has provided.
‘Would you stop the money to Ukraine at this point?’ the Sunday Morning Futures host asked the former president.
He replied: ‘I’d get the war settled.’
No. 1 on Trump’s priority list for the war if he becomes president in 2024 is making sure Europe pays more toward funding Ukraine’s defensive efforts against Russia rather than the brunt of the cost falling on the U.S.
‘The money is number one,’ Trump said. ‘I’d tell Europe – you’re about $100 billion plus short. Okay? You gotta pay.’
‘Because Europe is smiling all the way to the bank,’ he added. ‘Europe is doing very little compared to the United States and it affects them more. Look, no matter how you look at it, they’re right there. We’re an ocean apart.’
‘Why are we at $150 billion and they’re at $20 [billion]?’ he questioned.
Trump said it isn’t for a lack of resources, claiming that when European countries are combined their economies equate that of America’s.
‘They should be at the same number that we’re at, if not more,’ the former president lamented. ‘And they get away with murder.’
The comments came as part of a pre-recorded interview that aired over last Sunday’s show on Fox and this week’s Sunday Morning Futures program, as well.
It follows President Joe Biden’s trip to Europe earlier this month where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the 2023 NATO Summit. It also is on the heels of Biden’s controversial decision to send more cluster munitions to Ukraine.
NATO stopped short of allowing Ukraine to join the treaty, but did declare unified support of the European nation in its defense against Russian aggression, which began when Moscow invaded from the east in February 2022.
Trump said that European countries have consistently tried to balk their responsibilities by pawning off financial support of international efforts on the U.S.
He claims that Europe tried to balk their financial responsibilities when it came to NATO.
‘You know what I did with NATO,’ he said to the Fox host. ‘They weren’t paying and I made them pay. And took them, hundreds of billions of dollars. I said, if you don’t pay we’re not going to protect you.’
Many Republicans are critical of Biden sending too much aid – both financial and arms – to Ukraine in the war with Russia.
He also authorized earlier this month the Defense Department to mobilize 3,000 more service members to Europe to help secure the region. The White House has repeatedly assured that there will be no U.S. boots on the ground in Ukraine.
