Europe surpasses U.S. in military aid to Ukraine
During Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine, European countries have outpaced the United States in delivering military aid to Kyiv through defense industry contracts. According to the Ukraine Support Tracker project, released by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), the total value of military supplies procured by European nations for Ukraine stood at €35.1 billion by the end of June 2025. This figure surpasses the U.S. contributions by €4.4 billion.
Europe has turned to defense industry contracts for roughly half of its military assistance to Ukraine. Out of the €10.5 billion allocated by Europe in May and June, at least €4.6 billion—approximately 43.8%—was designated for defense industry orders.
"Europe has now purchased more new military equipment than the U.S., indicating a clear shift from stockpile supplies to industrial production," explained Taro Nishikawa, head of the Ukraine Support Tracker project.
In a twist, the U.S., for the first time since President Donald Trump took office, made significant arms shipments to Ukraine in May. However, these are categorized as regular sales that Kyiv must fund by itself, as opposed to military aid. In contrast, European countries have maintained extensive support; Germany has made the largest bilateral contribution with a €5 billion military aid package, according to IfW. Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Denmark have also allocated between €500 million and €1.5 billion each.
The Group of Seven (G7) countries have provided a financial lifeline of approximately €6.3 billion, primarily backed by revenue from frozen Central Bank of Russia assets. This mechanism is "a crucial tool for ensuring Ukraine's financial stability amidst the economic strain caused by ongoing war and recovery efforts," Nishikawa noted.
Nevertheless, with aid pledged in October 2024 being disbursed in phases and available resources dwindling, "there are doubts about the long-term sustainability of donor support," Nishikawa warned.
The Ukraine Support Tracker project monitors and assesses the military, financial, and humanitarian aid pledged to Ukraine since the onset of Russia's aggression. The database encompasses 41 countries, including EU members, other G7 nations, Australia, South Korea, Turkey, Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland, Turkey, China, Taiwan, India, and Iceland.
Data sources include official statements from governmental bodies and international media reports. Assistance in material forms, like medical supplies, food, or military equipment, is evaluated based on market prices or data from previous aid campaigns. In contested cases, the higher available estimates are used.