Two years after the start of the large-scale war, the dynamic of Western support for kyiv is losing momentum: newly committed aid is down over the period from August 2023 to January 2024 compared to the same period of the previous year, according to the latest report from the Kiel Institutepublished in February 2024. And this trend could continue, the American Senate struggling to pass aid, and the European Union (EU) having had every difficulty in having aid of 50 billion adopted on February 1, 2024, from Hungarian blocking. Please note, these two aid packages are not yet taken into account in the latest assessment made by the Kiel Institute, which ends in January 2024.
Data from the German institute show that the number of donors is decreasing and is concentrated around a core of countries: the United States, Germany, the countries of northern and eastern Europe, which promise both high financial aid and advanced weaponry. In total, since February 2022, the countries which support kyiv have committed at least 276 billion euros on the military, financial or humanitarian level.
In absolute terms, the richest countries have been the most generous. The United States is by far the leading donors, with more than 75 billion euros in aid announced, including 46.3 billion in military aid. European Union countries announced both bilateral aid (64.86 billion euros) and joint aid from European Union funds (93.25 billion euros), for a total of 158.1 billion euros.
When we relate these contributions to the gross domestic product (GDP) of each donor country, the ranking changes. The United States has fallen to twentieth place (0.32% of its GDP), well behind countries neighboring Ukraine or former friendly Soviet republics. Estonia takes the lead in aid relative to GDP with 3.55%, followed by Denmark (2.41%) and Norway (1.72%). The rest of the top 5 is completed by Lithuania (1.54%) and Latvia (1.15%). The three Baltic states, which all share borders with Russia or its ally Belarus, have been among the most generous donors since the start of the conflict.
In the ranking of the percentage of GDP, France is twenty-seventh, having committed with 0.07% of its GDP, just behind Greece (0.09%). The aid provided by Paris has been in constant decline since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – France was twenty-fourth in April 2023, and thirteenth in the summer of 2022.
**Considering the potential for donor fatigue, what innovative funding mechanisms or international partnerships could effectively sustain Western support for Ukraine in the long term?**
## World Today News: Western Support for Ukraine: Waning Momentum or Shifting Dynamics?
**Host:** Welcome to World Today News. Today we’re joined by two esteemed guests to discuss the evolving landscape of Western support for Ukraine.
We’re joined by **[Guest 1 Name and title, expertise related to international relations or economics]** and **[Guest 2 Name and title, expertise related to military strategy or Ukrainian affairs]**. Thank you both for being here.
**Theme 1: Shifting Tides of Support**
**Host:** Recent reports from the Kiel Institute show a concerning trend: a decrease in newly committed aid to Ukraine compared to last year. [Guest 1], as an expert in international relations, what factors do you believe are contributing to this diminishing momentum alongside the difficulties experienced by the American Senate and the European Union in committing further aid?
**Host:** [Guest 2], from a military perspective, how crucial is the continued and consistent flow of aid for Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian aggression? What are the potential consequences of a sustained decline in support?
**Theme 2: Beyond the Headlines: Analyzing the Data**
**Host:** The article highlights the disparity between absolute aid amounts and aid contributions relative to a country’s GDP. [Guest 1], while the United States has undoubtedly provided significant financial aid, its position shifts dramatically when viewing contributions as a percentage of GDP. What does this tell us about the differing burdens and responsibilities of countries in supporting Ukraine?
**Host:** [Guest 2], some might argue that the Baltic states’ prominent position in the percentages ranking demonstrates a heightened sense of vulnerability due to their proximity to Russia. Do you believe geography plays a significant role in shaping a country’s commitment to aiding Ukraine?
**Theme 3: Looking Ahead: Future of Support**
**Host:** [Guest 1], what measures can be taken to reinvigorate international support for Ukraine, particularly in the face of potential donor fatigue? Are there alternative funding mechanisms or partnerships that could be explored?
**Host:** [Guest 2], looking towards the long term, how crucial will collaborative defense strategies and military training be in ensuring Ukraine’s sustained resilience against Russian aggression even as Western support potentially fluctuates?
**Host:** Thank you both for sharing your insightful perspectives on this critical topic. The future of Ukraine hangs in the balance as the world grapples with the complexities of providing lasting support.
