The United States has allocated $113.4 billion in emergency funding to support Ukraine, American partners affected by the Russia-Ukraine war, and US national security programs.[1]
However, just because money has been allocated doesn’t mean it has been spent. Congress has set aside emergency funding for federal agencies to spend at their discretion and doles it out depending on the immediate and longer-term needs of Ukraine, US allies, and US weapons supplies.
So far, The United States has sent Ukraine over $60 billion in funding and equipment through military, economic, and humanitarian aid. Ukraine will have to repay some of these funds after the war, plus interest.
On February 13, 2024, the Senate approved the National Security Act, 2024. If enacted, it will allocate approximately $60 billion for Ukraine-focused initiatives. This funding plan earmarks at least $13.4 billion for replenishing Department of Defense inventories designated for Ukraine, $13.8 billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), and $1.6 billion in Foreign Military Financing for Ukraine and other impacted nations.
How much security assistance has the US sent to Ukraine?
The US has sent more than $44 billion in security assistance to the Ukrainian government since February 24, 2022, primarily through presidential drawdowns and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). Security assistance comes in the form of equipment and weaponry.
Presidential drawdowns are orders directing the Defense Department to immediately deliver defensive equipment and services to foreign countries in crises. President Joe Biden has signed 54 drawdowns for Ukraine as of February 15, 2024.
The USAI is a Defense Department-led program focused on increasing Ukraine’s defenses against Russian aggression through military training, equipment, and intelligence support. The USAI has allocated approximately $18.9 billion for Ukraine since Russia’s February 2022 invasion.
While the data below represents most of the security assistance sent to Ukraine, only some transactions are publicly available, meaning some funds are unaccounted for.
The Foreign Military Financing program has supplemented Ukraine and countries impacted by the war in Ukraine with at least $4.7 billion, enabling participants to procure defensive equipment from the U.S. via grants or direct loans.
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How much military equipment has the US sent to Ukraine?
The Defense Department regularly updates a comprehensive list of supplies sent to Ukraine. This includes tanks, helicopters, munitions, medical supplies, and other items to support Ukraine's war efforts.
Included in the appropriations acts are provisions to invest over $33.6 billion in US industrial defense spending. These provisions go toward replacing domestic weapon stockpiles sent from US reserves to Ukraine, along with supplemental funds to improve industrial base production levels.
The main beneficiaries of these domestic spending provisions include Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, AeroVironment, and BAE Systems, among other industrial defense manufacturers.
How much economic and humanitarian aid has the US given Ukraine?
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided more than $23 billion in humanitarian and economic assistance to Ukraine since July 2023.
It’s spent $2.8 billion specifically on humanitarian aid, including nearly $2 billion to support displaced Ukrainians in neighboring countries.
It’s also has spent over $20 billion on economic aid, strengthening Ukrainian industries, job creation, and exports. The country’s economy contracted by an estimated 31% in 2022 after Russia’s invasion, resulting in significant unemployment and trade challenges, among other issues.
USAID has also given additional economic assistance towards paying salaries for civil servants such as educators, healthcare workers, and first responders, among other initiatives.
Will Ukraine have to pay the US back?
A substantial portion of military aid sent to Ukraine will have to be repaid, though the US has yet to establish a definitive timeline.
In May 2022, President Biden signed the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act, authorizing the US military to provide Ukraine and other Eastern European countries with equipment. The law defers repayments from Ukraine indefinitely, meaning that while the government is not required to pay back these loans now, they will have to somewhere down the line — with interest.
This is similar to the Lend-Lease Act between the US and the United Kingdom, Soviet Union, France, China, and other Allied nations during World War II, in which payments for military equipment were suspended during the conflict.[2]
Where does foreign aid for Ukraine come from?
These funds came from the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 and the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 which provide $13.6 and $40.1 billion in emergency funding, respectively.
President Biden signed the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023, last September and the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 last December, providing an additional $12.4 and $47.3 billion in emergency funding, respectively.
What percentage of the federal budget goes to Ukraine?
For context: the federal government spent $6.48 trillion last fiscal year, meaning the money authorized in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 for Ukraine, American partners in regions affected by the conflict, and US national security programs, would be equivalent to less than two percent of the US budget.
What happens to aid approved for Ukraine?
Approximately 96% of the spending for Ukraine is for the Defense Department and the State Department, which manages the USAID. The remaining funds are dispersed among government agencies to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees.
Since Russia’s invasion, the Defense Department and State Department have received $62.3 billion[3] and $46.1 billion[3] from Congress, respectively, to spend on Ukraine and other initiatives related to the war.
While tracking every dollar of appropriated funds is difficult, a large portion goes toward security and economic resources for the US and European allies, meaning not all the money allocated to support the war efforts goes directly to Ukraine.
Several billion is for domestic national security concerns, including over $20 billion[4] set aside for replenishing US military equipment and munition stocks sent to Ukraine.
At least $13.9 billion has been allocated to US European Command Operations, which involves deploying military personnel throughout Eastern European countries, subsequent intelligence support operations, and additional assistance to friendly foreign nations.
Other domestic funds go to programs addressing cybercrime threats, promoting energy independence, and even seizing property belonging to Russian oligarchs.
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[1] This total excludes presidential drawdowns, which involve transferring pre-existing U.S. military equipment to Ukraine without the need for extra funds.
[2] During World War II, a total of $50.1 billion, equivalent to $690 billion in 2020, worth of supplies were shipped.
[3] This includes operation costs for US troops in Europe, security assistance sent to Ukraine and other US allies in the region, and replacement costs for restocking US equipment and munitions sent to Ukraine.
[4] This figure is totaled across the four main appropriations acts providing funding for Ukraine.
