A new report claims that some of the American aid being sent to Ukraine is subsidizing small businesses in the country, rather than helping in the ongoing war effort.
As reported by Breitbart, roughly $25 billion worth of non-military aid has been sent to Ukraine since the war began in February of 2022, primarily for the purpose of supporting Ukraine’s economy. That amount is in addition to $43 billion in military funding that has been sent in the same period, according to a report by CBS’ 60 Minutes.
The $25 billion has gone to prop up small businesses in the war-torn country, including a designer knitwear company in the capital city of Kyiv, which is nowhere near the frontlines of battle. The company’s owner, Tatiana Abramova, justified the aid to her business by telling CBS that “especially in the condition of war, we have to work.”
“We have to pay taxes, we have to pay wage, salary to our employees. We have to work, don’t stop,” she added. When she was asked how economic aid would help with the war itself, she simply said “because economy is the foundation of everything.”
In addition to small businesses, American aid is also funding seeds and fertilizers for Ukrainian farmers, as well as covering the salaries of all 57,000 first responders in the country.
Meanwhile, American businesses are struggling to make ends meet as the economy remains stagnant and inflation remains high. Many leading economic indicators suggest that the U.S. is on the verge of another recession due to a number of conditions, ranging from high government spending and gas prices to consumer confidence, or lack thereof.