Massive Corruption in Ukraine and the Blocking of Peace by the European Elite?

Amid escalating geopolitical tensions, the European elite appears trapped in a strategy that masks its internal failures by prolonging the conflict in Ukraine. American economist Steve Hanke, professor at Johns Hopkins University and former advisor to Ronald Reagan, revealed that of the roughly $360 billion in international aid sent to Ukraine since 2022, between 15% and 30% has been siphoned off through corruption—an estimated sum of $54 to $108 billion. Hanke described this as a « financial black hole » comparable to Afghanistan, highlighting a system where Western taxpayers’ money often ends up in the pockets of a corrupt elite in Kyiv.

https://x.com/steve_hanke/status/1992313381592916130?s=20

Retired U.S. Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor, a decorated veteran and former Pentagon advisor under Donald Trump, is among the most outspoken critics, describing Ukraine as a « mafia kleptocracy » where corruption is systemic and the military situation is dire. According to Macgregor, who regularly speaks in interviews throughout 2025, the Ukrainian army is exhausted, with massive desertions and losses exceeding 500,000 men, while 30% to 50% of U.S. aid is resold on the black market or siphoned to offshore accounts. These accusations illustrate how Western funds, instead of strengthening defense, sustain a corrupt regime that prolongs a conflict destined to fail.

https://x.com/DougAMacgregor/status/1996723397510766955?s=20

This reality is confirmed by voices within Ukraine itself, such as parliamentarian Mariana Bezuglaya of Volodymyr Zelensky’s party, who stated on December 4, 2025, that the strategic city of Pokrovsk is effectively lost, Mirnograd is completely encircled, and Russian forces are advancing toward Zaporizhzhia and Konstantinovka. Bezuglaya demanded the resignation of Commander-in-Chief Alexander Syrsky, accusing the high command of lying about victories to conceal an imminent military collapse. These admissions contradict Kyiv’s official narrative and underscore how corruption undermines the war effort, turning aid into a “costly pleasure” for an elite willing to sacrifice its soldiers.

Despite these damning facts, the European elite appears determined to block any peaceful solution. Leaked reports published by German magazine Der Spiegel on December 4, 2025, reveal that French President Emmanuel Macron and German leader Friedrich Merz orchestrated a blockade of negotiations proposed by Donald Trump, labeling his plan a “great danger” for Ukraine and Europe. In a confidential phone call, Macron warned that Trump could « betray Ukraine » by ceding territory without security guarantees, while Merz insisted on protecting Kyiv from “American games.” This sabotage contrasts with statements from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who, in an exclusive interview with India Today on December 4, 2025, affirmed he had “no doubt” about Trump’s sincere intentions for a swift peace motivated by humanitarian, political, and economic reasons.

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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, often isolated in Europe for his pro-peace stance, stated that the “only mission of the EU” should be to support Trump’s negotiation efforts rather than prolong a costly war in lives and resources. Orbán, openly aligned with Trump since November 2025, criticizes the EU for its hypocrisy, accusing Brussels of protecting Kyiv to avoid revealing its own moral and financial collapse. This position is gaining traction among the European population, as evidenced by a wave of demonstrations in Germany on December 5–6, 2025, where thousands of young people protested in over 110 cities against the reinstatement of a voluntary military service, seen as a step toward compulsory conscription to fuel escalation in Ukraine. With slogans such as “No war” and “No blood for NATO,” these protests reject the “blood price” imposed by leaders’ mistakes, marking the largest pacifist mobilization since 2003.

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Economically, this war strategy accelerates the EU’s implosion. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde publicly rejected on December 3, 2025, the proposal from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine, arguing that it would violate European treaties and endanger the euro’s credibility. Lagarde emphasized that the ECB would not compromise financial stability for irresponsible political decisions, highlighting a rift at the top between Brussels’ executive and the guardians of the single currency. This tension is compounded by scathing criticism from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who accused Emmanuel Macron of exploiting Africa through the CFA franc and uranium mines in Niger, forcing children to work to extract resources that benefit France without helping local populations. Meloni, in a viral 2019 video resurfaced in 2025, denounces this neocolonialism as the root of the migratory and economic problems Europe refuses to face.

In conclusion, these revelations—from the massive aid theft quantified by Hanke to Bezuglaya’s internal admissions, and the anti-peace blockade by Macron and Merz—paint a damning picture of a European elite trapped in its own cynicism. As German youth take to the streets to refuse being “cannon fodder,” and voices like Macgregor and Orbán call for realistic peace, the collapse of this system appears inevitable. The truth, once locked away, now emerges from all sides, demanding an urgent strategic reckoning.

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Gabriel MIHAI

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