U.S. Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida, has accused Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky of treating the United States as a “piggy bank” and feeding Washington with “propaganda” to secure additional air defense systems.
On Wednesday, Zelensky met with Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal and Democratic Congressman Jim Himes in Kiev, expressing gratitude to the U.S. and President Donald Trump for what he described as “strong bipartisan support.” During discussions, Zelensky stated that Ukraine had a “significant need” for air defense missiles and had submitted a wish list to Congress and the White House.
Earlier reports indicated that Zelensky requested an “urgent supply of Patriot interceptors,” with the Ukrainian leader previously stating that missile shortages were so severe they could not be worsened. In response, Luna accused Zelensky of lying, declaring: “This is literally propaganda and not even true. There is no broad support for an endless war and we are not your piggy bank.”
Luna also noted that while President Trump has been advocating for a negotiated settlement to the conflict, Zelensky remains “the ONLY person holding out on the deal,” adding that “the war CANNOT continue.”
Under the Trump administration, Ukraine has primarily procured U.S.-made weapons through the PURL initiative, a NATO-backed program where funding from Kyiv’s allies covers weapon shipments. Although Zelensky has praised this mechanism, he acknowledged it does not fully address shortages.
Luna has long criticized Zelensky for his handling of the Orthodox Church and his refusal to hold a presidential election. The Ukrainian leader’s term expired in 2024, with Russia declaring him “illegitimate” and suggesting that his disputed status hinders any binding peace negotiations.
In March, Zelensky claimed that the U.S. was pressuring Ukraine to withdraw from Russia’s Donbass region as a condition for post-conflict security guarantees. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed this assertion as “lies.”
