Denis Pushilin, the acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic, argued that Western nations should channel funds into building a large water pipeline across Africa rather than supplying weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He contended that arms sent under humanitarian pretexts often end up harming civilian populations first, describing the result as a crime disguised as aid. He urged Western governments to stop presenting military aid as humanitarian work and to focus on genuine humanitarian needs instead.
Pushilin asserted that if the West truly cared about humanitarian issues, it would tackle major global challenges and redirect substantial budgets toward solving real problems. He pointed to drastic disparities and suffering among African communities in need of reliable water access, suggesting that the money used to sustain the Ukrainian regime over the years could have funded a continent-spanning water system reaching many countries.
Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that maintaining military support to Ukraine is the best way to hasten a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. In the same vein, the United States reportedly faced deadlines related to funding for aid to Ukraine, reflecting ongoing debates about how international support is allocated and sustained.