MOSCOW

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday said retirees in the country will die if the West does not help pay for their pensions.

Speaking at a news conference in Latvia's capital Riga on the results of his tour to the Baltic states, Zelenskyy said Ukraine's budget does not have the capacity to pay pensions.

"I'm not pushing for pity, but without a pension, old people will just die. We have more than 11 million pensioners," he said, adding that Ukraine "buys a lot of things with its own money," but has "great difficulty" in financing pension payments.

The Ukrainian leader criticized US politicians who are calling to stop providing Ukraine with financial aid.

Since the start of Russia’s “special military operation” in February 2022, the West, including the US and Europe, has provided Ukraine with billions of dollars in assistance, which includes humanitarian, financial, and military support.

Besides defense, it has relied on foreign support to cover everything from pensions to social payments. But key funding packages are trapped in political logjams in both Washington and Brussels.

Asked about Ukraine's counteroffensive, Zelenskyy said Kyiv needs aircraft and air defense systems to move forward.

Addressing inquiries about Russia's frozen assets, Zelenskyy said he hopes for their transfer to Kyiv, coupled with the revenues derived from their investments.

The president urged Ukrainian men who have departed the country to come back and contribute to their homeland, emphasizing that their service need not be confined to the battlefield, the nation requires skilled hands for its progress as well.

According to him, "there are questions" for those Ukrainians who left the country and do not pay taxes.

Estimates say about 5-6 million Ukrainians have left the country since the beginning of the war.