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Ben Stiller denies USAID funded Ukraine journey: ‘These are lies coming from Russian media’theinsiderinsight

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Ben Stiller has denied social media experiences that his humanitarian journey to Ukraine was funded by USAID, dismissing the claims as Russian “lies.”

Over the weekend, the US Company for Worldwide Growth was focused for dissolution by Elon Musk, who labeled it as a legal enterprise on his social media platform X.

The location additionally hosted a number of viral posts associated to the company, together with one which included a pretend E! Information video and claimed that US tax {dollars} had been spent sending celebrities to Ukraine. The put up claimed Angelina Jolie’s go to had price taxpayers $20 million, Sean Pean’s had price $5 million and Ben Stiller’s price $4 million.

In an X post from his own account, Stiller denied the claim.

“These are lies coming from Russian media,” wrote the Zoolander star.

“I utterly self-funded my humanitarian journey to Ukraine. There was no funding from USAID and positively no fee of any form. one hundred pc false.”

Ben Stiller selling ‘Severance’ in January 2025 (Getty Photos for SiriusXM)

Stiller visited Ukraine in June 2022, the place he met these affected by the continued warfare with Russia.

Throughout a gathering with President Zelensky, Stiller shook Zelensky’s hand and stated: “Sir, very nice to satisfy you. Thanks for taking the time. You’re my hero.”

He added that he was impressed by Zelensky, “for what you’ve completed on this nation and for the world”.

The pair additionally shared a lighter second, with Stiller complimenting the President on his “nice performing profession”. Zelensky responded “Not as nice as you,” and laughed.

In a video posted to his Instagram account on the time, Stiller stated: “Hey, I’m Ben Stiller, and I’m right here in Ukraine. I’m assembly individuals who’ve been impacted by the warfare and listening to the way it’s modified their lives. Battle and violence are devastating individuals all around the world. No one chooses to flee their house. Searching for security is a proper and it must be upheld for each individual.”

In August of that 12 months, Stiller mirrored on his time in Ukraine and stated he was “actually taken by the resilience of the individuals of Ukraine, and of the president.”

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“His unbelievable sense of how he has risen to the second and provided his individuals management and true resolve to get via this terrible state of affairs.”

Stiller had visited the nation on World Refugee Day as a part of his long-term function as a goodwill ambassador for UNHCR, the UN refugee company.

Talking concerning the “overwhelming” expertise of seeing the implications the warfare has had for Ukrainian individuals, Stiller stated: “There are seven or eight million individuals, simply inside the nation, who’ve been displaced.

“It’s simply so overwhelming once you see the truth of it.”

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