- By Brandon Drenon
- BBC News, Washington DC
Image source, Getty Images
US President Joe Biden announced nearly half a billion more dollars of US military aid to Ukraine during a surprise visit to Kyiv this week.
That’s on top of billions the US has already spent on Ukraine’s conflict with Russia. Congress appropriated more than $112bn (£92.47bn) in 2022 alone.
The US is the largest contributor to Ukraine in terms of money spent.
But a year into Russia’s invasion, some Americans are wondering where the money goes and if the aid is worth the cost.
How much has the US given to Ukraine?
Before Mr Biden’s pledge in Ukraine this week, the US had committed nearly $80bn in aid to Ukraine. That’s according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, which tracks global spending on aid to Ukraine.
That’s just military aid, however. Other kinds of aid add to the cost.
Largest donors of military aid to Ukraine by country.
Where does the money go?
Military aid pays for drones, tanks, missiles and other munitions systems as well as training, logistics and intelligence support. Humanitarian and financial aid are extra.
Humanitarian aid includes food assistance, safe drinking water, medical supplies and other necessities for Ukrainians displaced by the conflict. Financial aid is economic. It keeps Ukraine’s government operating by paying civil servants, healthcare workers and educators.
Military aid accounts for more than half of the US spending on Ukraine, leaving $3.96bn committed to humanitarian aid and $26.73bn in financial aid.
The US has committed the most aid to Ukraine
What are other nations spending on Ukraine?
The US is not the biggest spender when commitments are ranked as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).
Estonia tops that chart with a pledge of 1.1% of its GDP, the Kiel Institute says. The US, on the other hand, is pledging just 0.4% of its GDP.
Although the US leads the global effort in providing aid to Ukraine dollar-for-dollar, it ranks fifth as a donor country by this scale.
Largest donors of aid to Ukraine as percent of donor country GDP.
How much money is that?
“The United States, for example, spent more than three times as much per year compared to their expenses in the Afghanistan war after 2001,” Kiel says.
“Germany committed more than three times as much to Allies in the Gulf War of 1990/91 compared to what it has committed to Ukraine”.
