2023-09-09 11:00:00
Announcements of military, financial and humanitarian support for Ukraine have followed one another since the start of the Russian offensive. What is the reality behind these figures?
By Matthieu Heyman The Biden administration is among Ukraine’s most important allies. © ALEX WONG / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP Published on 09/09/2023 at 11:00 a.m.
And $1 billion more. Visiting Kiev, Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, announced additional aid on Wednesday, bringing to $43 billion the amount of US aid to Ukraine since the start of the Russian offensive in February 2022. This makes the Americans the leading supplier of military equipment to Ukraine: Patriot surface-to-air system, artillery or even armored vehicles and soon depleted uranium ammunition. Abrams tanks will soon be delivered. With each announcement of military or humanitarian aid to Ukraine, the figures, in millions or billions of euros, accompany the list of equipment promised to kyiv.
Since the start of the conflict, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy has quantified the aid provided by each country to Ukraine. Their charts clearly show that the United States is the main military supporter of Ukraine, far ahead of Germany and Great Britain.
Aid to Ukraine can also be measured in terms of the country’s GDP (gross domestic product). According to the calculations of this institute, Norway is at the top of the ranking, with 1.7% of its GDP devoted to aid to Ukraine. The United States is 30th, with 0.3% of its GDP.
France’s support for Ukraine remains limited. With officially around 1.5 billion euros promised to kyiv, France is 15th. This amount represents 0.05% of tricolor GDP.
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Figures that do not include all aid
Some countries are more transparent than others about the supply of equipment to Ukraine. With each new announcement, the United States publishes a detailed list of the equipment delivered, while France is less precise.
These figures only take into account public and official aid, not private donations. Recent example, the French company Delair delivered 150 drones to the Ukrainian army in recent days. The institute does not take into account other forms of assistance such as the reception of refugees, intelligence or the training of Ukrainian soldiers, several thousand of whom have been trained by the West in recent months.
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“Only a little more than half of the promised heavy weapons have been delivered”
The prestigious Kiel Institute for the World Economy has been keeping delivery accounts up to date for 18 months and detailing their working methods. “Aid in kind is estimated based on market prices. In case of doubt, the highest available value is used,” explains the German university.
It must also be taken into account that not all of the promised equipment has necessarily been delivered. “Only a little more than half of the promised heavy weapons have been delivered” as pointed out in a report published this summer by the German institute. And on this point a real disparity exists. “The United States, Germany and Britain have rapidly increased their commitments but deliveries are significantly lower. On the other hand, Eastern European countries have delivered more than 80% of the promised heavy weapons. »
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