The new aid package for Ukraine, which is stuck in the US Congress, has led to a sharp reduction in support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Between 1 November and 15 January, Western allies pledged to provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with supplies worth €9.8 billion. This is almost three times less than the €27bn pledged for the same period a year earlier, of which the US was ready to provide €21bn, according to a report by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, which updated data on aid to Ukraine.
The main suppliers of military equipment and ammunition were several large donors, primarily the Nordic countries, Germany, and the United Kingdom, which on 12 January pledged £2.5 billion (€2.9 billion) this year.
The total commitments of Ukraine's allies – military, financial, and humanitarian – amounted to €13.8 billion over 2.5 months. This is significantly higher than in the period from August to October, when the Kiel Institute gave a preliminary estimate of only €2.11 billion (87% less than in the same period in 2022).
The latest figures do not take into account the €50bn of economic aid approved by EU leaders on 1 February.
Although the US Senate passed an allied aid bill this week that includes $60 billion for Ukraine, its fate in the House of Representatives remains unclear. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with the leaders of Germany and France in the coming days, hoping to negotiate increased military aid from European countries.
To fully replace the United States in this regard in 2024, Europe must double its commitments and speed of arms provision, the Kiel Institute notes.
To accelerate arms production and increase the capacity of the defence sector, the European Commission proposes to subsidise the European defence industry from the EU's general budget, its head Ursula von der Leyen told the Financial Times. The European Commission intends to submit a strategy to support the defence sector by the end of February.