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Here’s who’s supporting and not supporting Ukraine against Russia

February 25, 2023

It’s been a year since the Russians invaded Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin signaled on Feb. 14 that the Ukraine Defense Contact Group’s 54 member states will continue to support Ukraine in the long run.

A recent Pew Research Center survey shows the percentage who say, when it comes to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. is providing too much, about right or not enough support to Ukraine.

A Pew Research Center survey in May found that 59% of Americans were extremely or very concerned about Russia invading other countries in the regions, not just Ukraine.

Total bilateral aid: Government commitments in % of GDP

The IFW-Kiel Institute for the World Economy’s Ukraine Support Tracker lists and quantifies military, financial and humanitarian aid promised by governments to Ukraine between Jan. 24, 2022, and currently through Nov. 20. It covers 40 countries, specifically the EU member states, other members of the G7, as well as Australia, South Korea, Turkey, Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland, China, Taiwan and India. The database is intended to support a facts-based discussion about support to Ukraine.

U.S. Aid to Ukraine Far Exceeds That From Other Countries

However, some European governments, such as Latvia and Estonia, are making larger financial contributions to Ukraine relative to the size of their own economies.

When compared with the U.S. military assistance to other top recipients, including Afghanistan and Israel, the extraordinary scale of this aid comes into view.

Some of the military aid the U.S. has given:

8,500 Javelin anti-armor systems

8 NASAM systems

46,000 other anti-armor systems and munitions

4 Avenger air defense systems

1,600 Stinger anti-aircraft systems

Missiles for HAWK air defense systems

142 155 mm Howitzers and ammunition

1,500 TOW missiles

45 T-72B tanks

200 M113 armored personnel carriers

1,000 Humvees

700 Switchblade drones

20 Mi-17 helicopters

Skirmishes between Russia and Ukraine have been going on for years, but it’s been a year since Russia’s major invasion began in 2022.

Ukraine historical snapshot

Following the collapse of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine achieved a short-lived period of independence (1917-20), but was reconquered and endured a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two forced famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which more than 8 million died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although Ukraine achieved independence in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy and prosperity remained elusive as the legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization and civil liberties.

Russia’s occupation of Crimea in March 2014 and ongoing Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine have hurt economic growth and prevented it from being eligible to join NATO.

Population

43.7 million (2020)

Languages

Ukrainian (official) 67.5%,

Russian 29.6%, other 2.9%

Economic significance

After Russia, Ukrainian was the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic and it also accounted for more than one-fourth of Soviet agricultural output.

Until 2014, Ukraine was the main transit route for Russian natural gas sold to Europe, which earned Ukraine about $3 billion a year in transit fees, making it the country’s most lucrative export service.

In 2017, Ukraine redirected trade activity toward the EU, displacing Russia as its largest trading partner.

The invasion

On Feb. 23, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave a speech in Russian in which he appealed to the citizens of Russia to prevent war. A day later, Russia invaded Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the objective was to “demilitarize” and “de-nazify” Ukraine. Putin and Kremlin media continue to deny that the Russian invasion is a war, instead describing it as a special military operation.

Refugee situation

The invasion has caused Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II.

In the first week of the invasion, the UN reported more than 1 million refugees had fled Ukraine; this subsequently rose to at least 7,405,590 by Sept. 24, and 8 million by Thursday.

About 2.5 million refugees have fled to Russia and 1.5 million are in Poland.

87% of the refugees are women.

5% indicate children have been separated from parents.

Death toll

There is no exact number and media outlets have conflicting estimates. But according to U.S. Defense Department estimates in November the total deaths were:

100,000 Russian and 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or injured in the war.

In January, Gen Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, suggested about 40,000 civilians had died after being caught up in the conflict.

Divided world

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UN convened its first emergency session in 25 years. The 193-member assembly has since voted on four special resolutions addressing various concerns with regard to Ukraine.

The UN General Assembly passed a resolution by a large majority in October, calling on countries not to recognize the four regions of Ukraine that Russia has claimed.

The countries who voted against were Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua, Russia and Syria.

A majority of those countries abstaining were African nations, alongside China and India.

Reparations?

In November, nearly 50 nations cosponsored a resolution that calls for Russia to pay war reparations to Ukraine. The UN General Assembly passed the resolution, but not all were in favor.

The countries that voted against were Bahamas, Belarus, Central African Republic, China, Cuba, North Korea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria and Zimbabwe.

Sources: The Associated Press, Reuters, The United Nations, The Institute for the Study of War, Al Jazeera, BBC, Council on Foreign Relations, IWF Kiel Institute for World Economy, Pew Research Center, Institute for the Study of War

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