Half a million has already been transferred. Former US soldiers are raising money for the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a creative way.

Two former soldiers from the USA have raised over 500 thousand dollars for the needs of the Ukrainian army and continue to gather money by raffling off coins. These veterans, Jonathan Montgomery and Douglas Barnett, live in Arkansas. In 2022, they donated the first 15 thousand dollars to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine when they learned about the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

«We thought about going there (to Ukraine - 'Glavcom') and becoming volunteers, but that would mean we would be without jobs and separated. So we decided to help in this way, and perhaps we are doing more good than if we froze to death in a trench», - explains Jonathan Montgomery.

They are raising money at the Monty's auction, where they raffle off coins worth up to 3500 dollars each. The money from the sale of the coins is used to buy medicine and transportation for the wounded from the battlefield.

«It's very satisfying. It helps to eliminate the feeling of helplessness. There is no excuse, you can always find a way to help», - notes Douglas Barnett.

The next auction is scheduled for January. The men plan to put up 10 coins for auction each week. They hope that the war in Ukraine will end before the next fundraising stage.

According to Reuters, special representative of the newly elected US president Donald Trump on Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, plans to visit Kyiv in early January and meet with Ukrainian officials. He does not plan a trip to Moscow, but Kellogg's team is also working on organizing meetings with leaders of other countries in Paris and Rome.