DISINFO: US spent $5 billion on the Ukrainian Maidan in 2014
SUMMARY
When the Maidan was taking place in Ukraine, the American leadership itself admitted that $5 billion was spent specifically on the Maidan.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative alleging thatUkraine has been under external control since the 2013-14 Euromaidan revolution. In the Russian media's statement about the "financing of the Euromaidan" by US politicians, they refer to the statement of the former Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland at the end of 2013, in the midst of the Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine. She said that the United States has invested $5 billion over 20 years to develop democratic processes and reforms in Ukraine. The diplomat said that this was the total amount of assistance that Washington has allocated to Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Money was allocated for fair elections, to fight corruption and to develop the energy sector. Victoria Nuland later repeated this information in various interviews. She explained: “But we certainly didn’t spend any money supporting the Maidan. That was a spontaneous movement, which is a far cry from what we are concerned Russia is up to now in eastern Ukraine.”