How Much U.S. Aid Is Going to Ukraine?

Every year, the United States sends billions of dollars in aid—much more than any other country—to beneficiaries around the world in pursuit of its security, economic, and humanitarian interests.

Introduction

Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has become far and away the top recipient of U.S. foreign aid. This marks the first time that a European country has held the top spot since the Harry S. Truman administration directed vast sums into rebuilding the continent through the Marshall Plan after World War II.

How much money has the United States provided Ukraine?

Since the war began, the U.S. Congress has voted through five bills that have provided Ukraine with ongoing aid, doing so most recently in April 2024. The total budget authority under these bills—the “headline” figure often cited by news media—is $175 billion. The historic sums are helping a broad set of Ukrainian people and institutions, including refugees, law enforcement, and independent radio broadcasters, though most of the aid has been military-related. Dozens of other countries, including most members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU), are also providing large aid packages to Ukraine.

It’s important to note that of the $175 billion total, only $107 billion directly aids the government of Ukraine. Most of the remainder is funding various U.S. activities associated with the war in Ukraine, and a small portion supports other affected countries in the region.

Why is the United State providing aid to Ukraine?

Much of the U.S. aid has gone toward providing weapons systems, training, and intelligence that Ukrainian commanders need to defend against Russia, which has one of the world’s most powerful militaries. Most Western analysts say the military aid provided by the United States and other allies played a pivotal role in Ukraine’s defense and counteroffensive against Russia.

What weapons and equipment has the United States sent Ukraine?

NATO allies are particularly wary of being pulled directly into the hostilities, which could dramatically raise the risk of a nuclear war. However, as the fighting has progressed, many donor governments have shed their reluctance to give Ukraine more sophisticated assets, such as battle tanks and modern fighter aircraft. In the summer of 2023, the United States agreed to allow its European allies to provide Ukraine with U.S.-made F-16s. The first transfer of these advanced fighters was expected in mid-2024, around the time the first set of Ukrainian pilots were scheduled to complete their training on the aircraft.

More than two years into the war, the Joe Biden administration has provided or agreed to provide Ukraine with a long list of defense capabilities, including Abrams battle tanks, anti-aircraft missiles, artillery shells, including cluster munitions, coastal defense ships, and advanced surveillance and radar systems. In early 2024, the Biden administration reportedly started supplying Ukraine with significant numbers of long-range precision missiles, known as ATACMS, that can strike targets nearly 200 miles (322 kilometers) away.

How does the aid to Ukraine compare to that for other recipients of U.S. assistance?

When compared to U.S. assistance to other top recipients in recent years, the extraordinary scale of this aid comes into view.

Looking back over the last several decades, aid to Ukraine also ranks among the largest relative to the size of the U.S. economy at the time.

However, the magnitude of U.S. aid to Ukraine can seem less remarkable in comparison to what the Pentagon budgets each year, or what the Treasury Department was authorized (via the Troubled Asset Relief Program) to bail out Wall Street banks, auto companies, and other sectors of the economy during the U.S. financial crisis.

How does U.S. aid to Ukraine compare to that from other donors?

When compared to the critical support to Ukraine from other countries, the size of U.S. aid stands out.

However, many European governments are making larger financial contributions to Ukraine relative to the size of their economies.

Thirty countries have made major arms transfers to Ukraine in the past two years, led by the United States, Germany, and Poland. Nearly all are wealthy democracies.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all
   • Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory, and representative decision-making at all levels

2. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.2: Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence
   • Target 17.3: Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources
   • Target 17.9: Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Analysis

The issues highlighted in the article are primarily related to the provision of foreign aid to Ukraine by the United States in response to Russia’s invasion. The main focus is on the amount of aid provided, the reasons for providing aid, and the types of weapons and equipment sent to Ukraine. Based on this analysis, the following conclusions can be drawn:

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The issues discussed in the article are connected to SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are:

• Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
• Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all
• Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory, and representative decision-making at all levels
• Target 17.2: Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence
• Target 17.3: Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources
• Target 17.9: Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

No specific indicators are mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. The article primarily focuses on the provision of aid and the types of weapons and equipment sent to Ukraine, rather than measuring progress towards specific targets.

Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.

Fuente: cfr.org

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