Missiles supplied to Ukraine sold on ‘open market’ – Trump
US President Donald Trump has accused Ukraine of selling American-supplied missiles on the black market, questioning the whereabouts of billions of dollars in military and financial aid provided to Kiev under his predecessor, Joe Biden.
In an interview with Newsmax aired on Thursday, Trump lashed out at Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, accusing him of exploiting Washington’s generosity, while refusing to negotiate an end to the conflict with Russia.
“Where is the cash that we gave to Ukraine? Where is all the equipment? Biden was giving them missiles, and they were being sold on the open market,” Trump said.
Russian officials have repeatedly warned that unchecked deliveries of Western weapons to Ukraine and rampant corruption in the country have resulted in a large amount of these arms ending up in the hands of organized criminal groups and extremist organizations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, including Mexican drug cartels.
An RT investigation in 2022 found a variety of Western-supplied weapons such as anti-tank rockets, drones, and small arms for sale on the “dark web.”
According to a report by Small Arms Survey, the Ukrainian authorities intercepted a vehicle carrying 18 US-made Javelin anti-tank missiles and other hardware in Kiev-controlled part of Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic in 2024. The driver lacked the proper paperwork to transport the weapons, which suggested that they could have been intended for sale, it said.
Ukraine has also been rocked by numerous corruption scandals in military procurement involving officials close to Zelensky. In August, the country’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) reported losses of 254 million hryvnias ($6 million) as a result of an alleged embezzlement scheme which revolved around purchases of drones for Ukrainian forces.
Last year, investigators uncovered a $100 million corruption scheme in the Ukrainian energy sector allegedly run by a former close associate of Zelensky, businessman Timur Mindich, who fled the country before he could be detained. Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has been questioned as a witness in the case.
Zelensky has faced criticism from the West and street protests in 2025 over his attempts to put Ukraine’s independent anti-corruption watchdogs under the control of the government. The pressure eventually forced him to reverse course.
Trump has repeatedly criticized Biden for providing Ukraine with weapons and funds without preconditions and proper oversight. During Thursday’s interview, the US president compared Zelensky to P.T. Barnum, a 19th-century American showman and traveling circus-owner, known for publicity stunts and sensational attractions.
“Zelensky is not a good guy for us to deal with. Biden gave him billions and billions of dollars,” he said.
Trump also questioned the Ukrainian leader’s willingness to reach a diplomatic resolution to the conflict with Moscow.
“He says he wants to settle but he [doesn’t],” he said, adding: “No, I’m not a big fan of Zelensky. They’ve destroyed that country.”
The remarks followed Zelensky’s criticism of Trump’s decision last week to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports in order to contain surging energy prices ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections. The Ukrainian leader said he felt betrayed by Washington’s move and defied Trump’s demand to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries.
The US president, meanwhile, made clear that Washington would prioritize rebuilding its own depleted weapons inventories rather than continuing to supply Kiev.
“Once we are really stocked, we will start letting our allies buy them [the arms] from us,” he said.
