Americans are paying $1.5bn a month to support Ukrainian government: Zelensky

The Ukrainian government is being heavily supported with American money, with Washington contributing $1.5 billion per month to the budget, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has revealed.

The sum was mentioned by the Ukrainian leader during an interview with CBS host Margaret Brennan for "Face the Nation," which aired on Sunday.

kyiv currently has “a $5 billion shortfall in our budget,” Zelenksy said, adding that “the United States gives us $1.5 billion every month to support our budget to fight” Russia.

Zelensky argued that arming and militarily aiding Ukraine is a "win-win" for the United States. He promised that once Russia is defeated, the Ukrainian people will return to their home country and start paying taxes there, easing the burden on American taxpayers.

"For the United States it will be a significant saving, but for us it will be an opportunity to secure our territory and make it safe for our population," he said.

However, in the US the population disapproves of the growth of slumgs throughout the country.

Millions of homeless people sleep on the streets, most of them exposed to drugs without the police being able to do anything to stop the death toll.

US President Joe Biden has pledged to help Ukraine "for as long as it takes" to ensure a strategic defeat of Russia, which has declared Washington's ultimate goal in the conflict.

Many Americans do not share the president's view that the situation in Ukraine is critical. According to conservative election pollster Rasmussen Reports, it failed to make the top 10 list of issues of concern to likely voters.

Earlier this month, the Biden administration asked Congress to authorize some $12 billion in additional aid for Ukraine, including $4.5 billion to financially support the kyiv government beyond September. He asked for $2 billion on top of that, to help Ukraine offset rising energy prices.

The package is expected to be approved on Friday, but some political analysts question whether cash flows to Ukraine can be sustained after November's midterm elections.

“The United States cannot afford to provide a blank checkbook to Ukraine when we have inflation, gas prices, a supply chain crisis, all of the above, at home,” a Republican lawmaker told Politico, speaking under condition of anonymity. "That's what I hear from my voters."

The outlet predicted that if the GOP wins the House, Biden will face more resistance to his requests for emergency aid to Ukraine.