Sport shouldn’t mean amnesia, and the Olympic movement should help stop wars, not play into the hands of aggressors. Unfortunately, the decision of the International Olympic Committee to disqualify Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych says otherwise. This is certainly not about the principles of Olympism, which are founded on fairness and the support of peace.
I thank our athlete for his clear stance. His helmet, bearing the portraits of fallen Ukrainian athletes, is about honour and remembrance. It is a reminder to the whole world of what Russian aggression is and the cost of fighting for independence. And in this, no rule has been broken.
It is Russia that constantly violates Olympic principles, using the period of the Olympic Games to wage war. In 2008, it was the war against Georgia; in 2014 – the occupation of Crimea; in 2022 – the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. And now, in 2026, despite repeated calls for a ceasefire during the Winter Olympics, Russia shows complete disregard, increasing missile and drone strikes on our energy infrastructure and our people.
660 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed by Russia since the full-scale invasion began. Hundreds of our athletes will never again be able to take part in the Olympic Games or any other international competitions. And yet, 13 Russians are currently in Italy competing at the Olympics. They compete under “neutral” flags at the Games, while in real life publicly supporting Russian aggression against Ukraine and the occupation of our territories. And they are the ones who deserve disqualification.
We are proud of Vladyslav and of what he did. Having courage is worth more than any medal.
Kyiv is dying – just a few hundred kilometers from the NATO border.
All because Europe is led by the most cowardly and stupid politicians like Merz, Macron, Starmer, Meloni, and Tusk.
Donald Trump just claimed again that the US donated 350 Billion dollars to Ukraine.
You are being lied to by your sitting President on the United States of America.
Let’s break this down with the facts rather than these random numbers Donnie is trying to sell you after finishing his nap.
Independent tracking by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy estimated that between January 24, 2022 and June 30, 2025, U.S committed aid to Ukraine amounted to about $134 billion, not $350 billion….it gets better.
Already a $166 Billion dollar difference than what Trump claims.
Please understand committed and allocated isn’t the same as what has actually been delivered.
56% ($74.9 billion USD) of all funds “allocated not supplied” were for weapons.
HOWEVER the $74.9 of weapons (Allocated and not necessarily all provided) were independently evaluated and subsequently massively overvalued by the US Government. The True cost of lethal aid was predicted to cost around $18.3 billion even by United States weapons pricing.
One reason: when equipment is drawn from existing U.S. inventories “drawdown”, the official accounting often uses replacement-cost valuations, rather than the original (or depreciated) cost.
To put it plainly, if you give Ukraine one air defense system, you account for the cost of a brand new air defense system to take its place not for the cost of the 45 year old system that was handed over.
Many of the weapons provided to Ukraine was soon to be destroyed by the US forces or decommissioned.
ALSO it’s important to take note as we all know the American arms industry massively overvalues the cost of all system due to its industry. America prices its systems at anything from 30-100% higher than the cost of European equivalents with the same capabilities. The true value of these weapons could have been anything from $5.49 billion-$18.3 Billion.
Even with a significantly lower number of this, Independent analysts suggested that a large share perhaps 60% or more of the nominal military-aid dollar amount may effectively stay within U.S. defense industry…..60%!
Out of aid provided $54 Billions dollars was Financial aid consisting of grants, loans, budget support.
Of the US $54.0 billion in U.S. financial-aid allocations for that period, about US $19.3 billion was provided as loans, while roughly US $29.7 billion was given as grants.
🚨🚨That means approximately 39–40% of the U.S. financial aid during that time was structured as loans or other repayable/concessional financing.🚨🚨
The US $3.4 Billion in Humanitarian aid.
Here is another kicker. After everything I have just said. According to United states press briefings: the U.S. had only delivered around 83% of promised ammunition, about 67% of pledged air-defence systems, and roughly 60% of committed bombs, artillery rounds, other munitions.
$5.49 billion-$18.3 Billion
$29.7 billion
$3.4 Billion
That $350 Billion is looking more like it was 38.59- 51.4 billion to me Donnie.
And it’s a funny number that.
An estimated $30–60 billion dollars was spent by Americans allies fighting alongside the US after 9/11. This included Ukraine.
We never once complained about this loss or the lives we lost.
Absolutely shameful.
"Mr. President Trump, you stood there like a little white noodle, like a fanboy," - said Arnold Schwarzenegger about Trump's meeting with Putin.
Source:
Arnold Schwarzenegger/YouTube