For three years, the U.S. had been sending specialized equipment to Ukraine, including air defense systems, drones, rocket launchers, radars, tanks and anti-armor weapons.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who arrived in the US for a mineral agreement with the US, clashed with US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance last week. Because of this, the agreement between the two countries to give the US access to Ukrainian minerals, including rare earths, was broken.
During the conversation, Trump accused Zelensky of wanting to start World War III, which led to an uneasy situation between the two sides. After a heated row with Zelensky in the Oval Office, President Trump suspended military aid to Ukraine. U.S.-Ukraine relations have become somewhat strained after the Oval Office tensions. But President Zelensky said that Ukraine wants to move forward together with the United States. Despite Trump's suspension of aid, including military aid, Ukraine's European allies believe the current pace of fighting can be maintained for several weeks. But until Zelensky's commitment to the "Trump Roadmap" for peace talks, not only a ceasefire, but the resumption of US cooperation is unlikely. In such a situation, the aid provided by the US for three years and its suspension is sure to have an impact on the Ukraine war.
The US is the largest single donor to the war-torn nation of Ukraine. The US contributed more than 40 percent of what Ukraine received. Since Russia launched its invasion on February 24, 2022, and until December 31, 2024, the United States has provided $1.23 billion in aid to Ukraine. According to the data of the German think tank "Kiel Institute for the World Economy", which collects information about the wartime aid received by Ukraine, 56 percent of the US provided military aid, i.e. 69 billion dollars.
Ukraine has also received significant support from the European Union. Ukraine received mainly military and financial support from the member states of the Union. But in three years, the military aid Ukraine received from the US is almost half. Of the $123.8 billion US aid to Ukraine over the three-year period, $69 billion is military, $51.1 billion is economic, and $3.7 billion is humanitarian aid. During that period, the countries of the European Union gave only 1 trillion 21.7 billion in aid. It includes 53.8 billion military, 56.1 billion economic and 11.8 billion humanitarian aid. 42.9 billion other countries have given aid.
Ukraine has expanded its domestic production of military equipment, including drones and artillery, thanks to foreign aid. This week, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Smihal said Ukraine would produce at least 30 percent of the equipment and ammunition it needs for its defense. President Zelensky also said that 40 percent of the military supplies Ukraine needs for its defense comes from the United States, and European allies account for about 30 percent. European countries have promised to help Ukraine with the suspension of military and other aid by the Trump administration. Last Tuesday, the European Union announced a plan to allow member states to increase defense spending and borrow $1.58 billion to supply arms to Ukraine.
Over the course of three years, the US has sent specific equipment to Ukraine, including air defense systems, drones, rocket launchers, radars, tanks and anti-armor weapons. As Russia prepares to launch its full-scale offensive, the US has been supplying military equipment to Ukraine since August 2021 under a 'Presidential Drawdown Authority'. This mechanism allows the president to send needed equipment directly to Ukraine from the U.S. military stockpile. According to a US State Department report, the US has used 55 'Presidential Drawdown Authorities' to provide military aid worth approximately US$31.7 billion to Ukraine.
According to CNN, a Ukrainian official said that stopping the flow of aid could be disastrous for Ukraine. He says that by next May or June, Ukraine will run out of weapons, including important artillery. The European Union can do something to help. But there are some things, which only America can provide. For example, the lack of the Patriot Air Defense System, which has proven particularly effective against Russian ballistic missiles, will be critical for Ukraine. The US controls the licensing and production of this system and its missiles.
According to a Ukrainian official who told CNN on Tuesday, Kiev's "Patriot Air Defense System" missiles will be finished within a few weeks. However, it is not clear how many missiles Ukraine has left and whether or not any of the US-provided missiles are on the way. The United States seems to be lagging behind Europe in supplying large arms. Ukraine has been given the largest number of howitzer cannons, surface-to-air missile systems and multiple launch missile systems by the US. Poland has the largest number of tank supplies and commitments.
But it will be very difficult for Ukraine's European allies to make up for the shortfall caused by the US. In 2023, the total military expenditure of the 27 member states of the European Union and the UK was about 3 trillion 88 billion. But the US spent twice as much, ie 916 billion. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the US spent 9 percent of government spending on defense, the highest among the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states.
