How to make Russia pay for war with Ukraine — not America

President Donald Trump has a golden opportunity to put America first and clean up former President Joe Biden’s Ukraine mess.

After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the G7 froze $300 billion in Russian state assets.

Those funds are still locked up in Western banks, including in the United States.

But the Biden administration fumbled the chance to act on a clear, bipartisan green light to seize frozen Russian state assets and use them to fund Ukraine’s defense and rebuilding.

By passing the REPO Act in April 2024, Congress handed the then-president the power to seize at least $5 billion in frozen Russian assets sitting in US banks.

Biden refused to act, instead prioritizing European approval over American leadership.

Meanwhile, European governments continue to sit on an estimated $200 billion of frozen Russian state assets, delaying decisive action.

This failure has stuck US taxpayers with the bill of supporting Ukraine — when the cost can instead be put on Russia itself.

Enough is enough. The Trump administration has a chance to clean up this mess and get a good deal for Americans.

By immediately seizing Russian state assets — and forcing Europe to follow suit — Trump can ensure that America benefits first.

These funds can be used to buy American weapons, which will boost our defense industry, create tens of thousands of jobs and strengthen our military readiness.

With threats from China looming, revitalizing our military supply chain isn’t just smart — it’s essential.

This isn’t about foreign aid or charity; it’s about protecting the US economy and military.

Using these frozen assets means more American manufacturing, stronger supply chains and a defense sector that stays ahead of global threats.

It can also benefit US companies that want to invest and work in Ukraine over the long term on broader reconstruction issues, taking advantage of the genuine innovation displayed by Ukrainians.

No new taxpayer burden, just smart policy that puts American interests first.

And let’s not forget: The REPO Act wasn’t some partisan stunt — it had massive bipartisan support in the House of Representatives, with 186 Republicans and 174 Democrats backing it.

As Speaker Mike Johnson put it, forcing the Russians to pay for Ukraine aid would be “pure poetry.”

The only thing that was missing? A president with the backbone to make it happen.

Biden’s failure to act wasn’t just weak — it was dangerous. If these frozen funds are returned to Russia, it would be nothing short of an American bailout for Putin.

Cutting a deal that unfreezes these assets would be a disgrace, forcing Americans to eat the cost while Putin retools his war machine.

He’d use the money to rebuild the Russian economy, pay off war debts and re-arm for another war.

Worse, if these assets are unfrozen, the $50 billion loan issued to Ukraine by the US and its allies — meant to be repaid with profits on the frozen assets — falls apart.

Without that money, US taxpayers are on the hook to cover the shortfall. We wouldn’t just be enabling Russia’s war — we’d be paying for it.

Europe needs a wake-up call, too. Big talk is cheap, but when it comes to putting their money where their mouths are, European leaders have been dragging their feet.

The US should set an example and seize these assets, then push Europe to do the same.

If America leads, Europe will follow.

Biden had his chance and failed. President Trump must waste no time in securing these assets for America’s benefit — allowing Ukraine to invest in our defense, our workers and our future.

Every dollar left untouched is a dollar that could be used to make America strong, and we can’t afford to sit back while our adversaries regroup.

Yuliya Ziskina is the senior legal fellow for Razom for Ukraine, a US-based nonprofit humanitarian aid and advocacy organization.