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Akbar Novruz

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Newly disclosed correspondence from convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein shows his discussions with prominent economist Larry Summers in May 2019 regarding Ukraine and then-presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskyy, AzerNEWS reports.

In the messages, Epstein expressed support for strengthening Ukraine both economically and militarily, saying, “It's high time to help Ukraine. It needs to be strong – economically and militarily.” Summers responded that European efforts alone were insufficient and highlighted the need for guarantees from the United States, stating, “Europe is waiting for us to take the first steps; it needs guarantees that we will arm Ukraine.”

Epstein also offered candid assessments of Zelenskyy, noting his acting background and suggesting that he lacked serious political depth: “He's an actor, right? I don't think he's a second Reagan.” He further described Zelenskyy as a “typical Eastern European opportunist” who promotes Ukrainian pride superficially, warning that it was troubling when such messaging was leveraged for investors.

Summers responded that he had familiarity with Zelenskyy’s financiers, but the discussion underscores Epstein’s engagement with high-level political and economic topics, extending to foreign policy assessments in Eastern Europe.

The documents are part of the latest tranche of over three million files released by the US Department of Justice under the Epstein Transparency Act, which have shed light on the financier’s private interactions with prominent figures in science, finance, and politics. The release does not indicate any wrongdoing on the part of the recipients of Epstein’s communications.