In recent months, the idea that the United States bears a "disproportionate burden" in supporting Ukraine, while European countries are not sufficiently involved in military and financial assistance, has been increasingly voiced in the international media.
In reality, European countries are actively involved in supplying arms and financial support to Ukraine, and their contribution exceeds the US contribution in some respects.
In practice, this means that Ukraine's key partners — Poland, Germany, the Baltic States, and Scandinavia — are helping and donating a significant portion of their defence stockpiles and finances.
Statements about the "disproportionate burden" on the United States are a political tool aimed at reducing support for Ukraine.
It is necessary to operate with facts and verified data to understand the real distribution of military and financial assistance.
Look at:
Ukraine support after 3 years of war: Aid flows remain low but steady — Shift towards weapons procurement — an article analysing international aid trends.
Ukraine Support After Three Years of War: Aid remains low but steady and there is a shift toward weapons procurement — a detailed assessment of international aid to Ukraine from January 2022 to December 2024. The report analyses financial, military, and humanitarian assistance, highlighting key trends, the role of European and U.S. support.
Our analysis, which follows, is based on these studies and explainers.
This data demonstrates that despite the widespread narrative of a "disproportionate burden" on the United States, the reality is much more complex.
European countries contribute substantial amounts of military equipment and procure upgraded models for Ukraine, as Denmark donated all of its CAESAR self-propelled artillery systems.
In addition to military assistance, financial contributions remain important, and Europe's role is no less significant.
The Kiel Institute for the World Economy report assesses international support for Ukraine based on nearly three years of data collection from the Ukraine Support Tracker, covering the period from January 22, 2022, to December 31, 2024.
Over the past three years, Ukraine has received a low but steady inflow of foreign aid, with Europe taking the lead.
Regarding military aid, Europe's support of EUR 62 billion is at a similar level to that of the United States, which has allocated EUR 64 billion in total.
However, Europe has long surpassed the US in financial and humanitarian aid, providing EUR 70 billion, compared to EUR 50 billion from the US.
As of December 2024, the total aid allocations by all donor governments to Ukraine totalled EUR 267 billion, averaging approximately EUR 80 billion per year.
USA support significantly slowed during the "aid crisis" from mid-2023 to early 2024, when the USA Congress blocked new assistance to Ukraine.
The USA "aid crisis" is even more evident in the financial and humanitarian sectors. While European assistance has followed a steady upward trend, USA non-military aid remained stagnant for nine months and only resumed in late 2024. This was largely due to the disbursement of a $20 billion loan, known as the "Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration Loan", sourced from frozen Russian assets.
In 2022, the United States allocated over €1.89 billion for humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, primarily through the USA Agency for International Development (USAID). This amount dropped to roughly one-third, around €0.65 billion in 2023, and stood at €0.87 billion in 2024.
As of early 2025, humanitarian assistance to Ukraine through USAID has been suspended.
What does this mean?
Assistance to Ukraine is not a burden, but a responsibility.
Ukraine has survived thanks to the support of its partners, and this support must continue. Disinformation and political games should not obscure the strategic reality: a weak Ukraine means a weaker Europe. Ensuring Ukraine's resilience is not just an act of support – it's an investment in collective safety.
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