In this article, we look at the 15 countries that provided the highest military aid to Ukraine. You can skip our detailed analysis on how foreign assistance helped Kyiv turn the tide against Russia, and head over directly to the 5 Countries that Provided the Highest Military Aid to Ukraine.
The United States sends billions of dollars in aid to beneficiaries across the world every year in pursuit of varying interests like economic, security, or humanitarian. During the start of 2022, much of the vast sums were diverted towards America’s global priorities at that time to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, fight climate change, and counter authoritarianism. However, after the Russian invasion in February that year, Ukraine has become the single largest recipient of American aid. According to the Council of Foreign Relations, this is the first time since the administration of Harry S. Truman that a European country has held the top spot.
President Biden’s administration has channelled more than $75 billion in assistance to Ukraine, of which an estimated $46.6 billion has been military related. The remaining funding has been directed to address financial and humanitarian needs. The United States has also, time and again, rallied its allies to come to Ukraine’s help to repulse Russian aggression. The April 2022 meeting at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany was instrumental in this regard. Security officials from more than 40 countries – mainly members of the EU and NATO – attended the gathering at the American military base to pledge and coordinate support for Ukraine.
As a result, Ukraine has received more than $100 billion in military aid, as of September 2023, from 47 countries. A majority of these countries are wealthy democracies, mostly European, with the exception of Japan and South Korea from Asia. However, the contribution from the United States well exceeds that of all other donors, as it accounts for nearly half of all military aid received by Ukraine.
Even when it comes to overall aid – financial, military, and humanitarian combined – Ukraine towers well above all other recipients of American aid. The U.S. pledged over $75 billion in all assistance to Ukraine in 2022, compared to $3.3 billion for Israel in 2021, and $1.4 billion for Afghanistan in the same year, which also turned out to be the year when Ashraf Ghani’s Kabul administration collapsed to the Taliban.
Historically, several other countries and regions have benefited from American aid over the last century, but none has received as much as Ukraine. The United States spent 0.33% of its GDP on Ukraine in 2022, in contrast to 0.08% of the GDP spent on Taiwan in 1960 and Pakistan in 1962, during the formative years of both countries. 0.15% was incurred in Latin America in 1964, while 0.18% of the GDP was spent on Israel in 1979.
Impact of U.S. Military Assistance on Defense Industry
America’s military support for Ukraine has helped turn the tide in the conflict. A key weapon used to repulse Russian advances has been the HIMARS missiles made by Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT). These have allowed the Ukrainian military to strike Russia’s command posts and ammunition depots with precision. The Biden administration awarded a contract worth $631 million to Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) last year to manufacture new HIMARS for Kyiv. Earlier this year, the American government also announced plans to send a fleet of M1 Abrams tanks developed by General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD) for a deal worth $400 million.
RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) is also working on a $1.2 billion contract awarded by the U.S. military to develop six NASAMS batteries for Ukraine. RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) is one of the largest defense contractors in the world, and won 6.1% of all defense-related contracts of the U.S. government in 2022.
Russia’s war in Ukraine has also forced several European countries to take measures to strengthen their own defense. Many of them are placing orders with American armament manufacturers to procure the required equipment. Germany, for instance, entered into a 10 billion dollar deal with Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) to purchase F-35 stealth fighter jets, missiles, and other weapons in December, 2022.
The Americans, on the other hand, are also providing support to their allies in the European Union to ward off the threat emanating from Moscow. In August last year, General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD) received a $1.15 billion order from the U.S. government to deliver 250 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams battle tanks to Poland. Several other European countries are also receiving similar military assistance from the United States.
All of these factors have meant a boom for the defense industry in the U.S. Four of the top five defense contractors in the world today are America-based: Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT), RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX), The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA), and General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD). You can read more on this in our article, Top 16 Defense Contractors in the World in 2023.
Methodology
We have ranked the 15 countries that provided the highest military aid to Ukraine using aid figures released by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German research institute. The time period considered for our list is between January 2022 and July 2023. Countries are ranked in ascending order of military aid they have committed for Ukraine. We have also shed light on the financial and humanitarian contributions assistance made by allies of Ukraine to help defend itself against Russia.
Let’s now head over to the list of the countries that provided the highest military aid to Ukraine.
15 countries that provided the highest military aid to Ukraine:
15. France
Military Aid to Ukraine: $0.59 billion
The French government has committed an estimated $1.87 billion in total aid to Ukraine, of which, some 30% has been directed towards military assistance as of July 2023. During Zelenskyy’s visit to Paris this year in May, the French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to give Ukraine more tanks and armored fighting vehicles.
14. Italy
Military Aid to Ukraine: $0.73 billion
The Italian government contributed 0.07% of its GDP on financial, military, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine in 2023. Italy’s major military delivery to Ukraine has been providing air defense systems which have proven successful in repulsing Russian attacks.
13. Slovakia
Military Aid to Ukraine: $0.74 billion
Slovakia, despite being a small nation state in terms of population, is among the biggest military donors to Ukraine, by contributing more than 0.6% of its GDP on military assistance to the country. This month in October, however, military aid to Ukraine was halted after parties that oppose such support won the elections.
12. Lithuania
Military Aid to Ukraine: $0.79 billion
Lithuania was the second highest aid provider to Ukraine in terms of aid given as a percentage of the GDP (1.36%) between January 2022 and July 2023. The government announced further military assistance for Ukraine in August this year, worth 41 million euros. The package includes rifles, cartridges, generators, and anti-drones support.
11. Czech Republic
Military Aid to Ukraine: $1.18 billion
The Czech Republic is among the countries that provided the highest military aid to Ukraine, with $1.58 billion pledged to humanitarian (25%) and military (75%) support. The country has so far sent 55 armored vehicles, 38 tanks, 13 howitzers, and 4 aircrafts to Ukraine in military assistance.
10. Finland
Military Aid to Ukraine: $1.35 billion
Finland has used many ways to assist Ukraine in its war against Russia. In addition to the $1.35 billion provided in military assistance, another $550 million has been given in humanitarian aid as well to Kyiv. The country spent a little over 0.5% of its GDP on Ukraine between January 2022 and July 2023 according to the Kiel Institute.
9. Sweden
Military Aid to Ukraine: $1.63 billion
Sweden has provided Ukraine with Archer howitzers, anti-tank weapons, and more than 50 infantry fighting vehicles which have provided a significant boost to the Ukrainian army in its fight against the Russians. The country has so far pledged 0.41% of its GDP in bilateral aid to Ukraine.
8. Canada
Military Aid to Ukraine: $1.84 billion
According to the Kiel Institute, the Canadian government has provided more than $6 billion in all aid to Ukraine, of which 63% has been financial assistance, 30% in military aid, while 7% has been directed towards humanitarian relief in the country. Canada’s military donations to Ukraine has included air defense missiles, NASAMS (sourced from the US), battle tanks, armored vehicles, rocket launchers, aircraft bombs, and numerous smaller ammunition.
7. Netherlands
Military Aid to Ukraine: $2.74 billion
The Netherlands is one of the countries that provided the highest military aid to Ukraine, spending 0.45% of its GDP on all bilateral aid to the country. In August this year, the Netherlands, in collaboration with Denmark, announced to donate 61 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. The Dutch government is also working with Denmark and the U.S. to spearhead a strong Ukrainian air force.
6. Poland
Military Aid to Ukraine: $3.32 billion
Poland has been one of the largest donors to Ukraine since the war began in February 2022. However, the country recently announced to stop transferring any weapons to Kyiv due a diplomatic row that emerged after Ukraine banned grain imports from Poland in an effort to protect local farmers.
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Disclosure: None. 15 Countries that Provided the Highest Military Aid to Ukraine is originally published on Insider Monkey.