Fourteen facts about U.S. aid to Ukraine

Luke Coffey

Since Russia invaded Ukraine for the second time in eight years, Russian troops have ravaged Ukrainian cities, raped women, and kidnapped children. Russian missiles and Iranian drones strike Ukrainian cities daily, often hitting civilian targets. Russia is the aggressor. Ukraine is the victim. For Americans who believe in respect for national borders, the supremacy of national sovereignty and the right to self-defence, supporting Ukraine is natural. Ukrainians do not ask or want American troops to help them fight Russia. All they ask for are the resources necessary to give them a fighting chance. Meanwhile, Russia is one of America’s main geopolitical adversaries. As former Secretary of State and Hudson University Distinguished Fellow Mike Pompeo said last week, a Russian victory “would be felt far beyond Ukraine’s borders, including by strengthening the alliance of Russia, China and Iran, which is aimed at weakening the United States and our allies around the world.” While Congress debates additional support for Ukraine, detractors will spread false and misleading information. It is important to understand the facts. Fact: The U.S. is not writing Ukraine “carte blanche” and most of the money allocated to help Ukraine never leaves the United States.

  • Every dollar spent to support Ukraine is authorised by Congress and used for a specific purpose. There has never been “carte blanche” on Ukraine.
  • Approximately $70 billion of aid earmarked for Ukraine will never leave the US. Instead, it supports our world-leading defence industry and creates well-paying jobs in 38 states.
  • After seeing the effectiveness of U.S. military equipment in Ukraine, European countries alone have placed $90 billion in orders for U.S. military equipment. This makes America safer and creates good-paying jobs for Americans. Fact: For a relatively modest amount of money, U.S. aid is helping Ukraine dismantle Russia’s armed forces without firing a single shot or shelling.
  • Russia is a major geopolitical adversary of the United States and a close ally of China, Iran and North Korea.
  • Estimates vary, but as many as 300,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded in Ukraine. The original Russian invasion force has effectively ceased to exist since February 2022.
  • Open source journalists have gathered visual evidence that Russia has lost more than 12,900 pieces of equipment in Ukraine by the time of this writing. Since this number is limited to visually confirmed losses, the actual number is likely much higher.
  • These losses include: 2,439 main battle tanks, 1,026 armoured fighting vehicles, 2,977 infantry fighting vehicles, 368 armoured personnel carriers, 914 pieces of artillery, 201 multiple rocket launchers, 93 aircraft (including three strategic bombers), 132 helicopters and probably thousands of pieces of other military equipment.
  • Ukraine has destroyed or damaged 16 ships and submarines, including the missile cruiser Moskva (formerly the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet) and the submarine Rostov-on-Don. Their destruction supports broader U.S. security objectives beyond the Black Sea. For example, Russia used both ships to support Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Fact: There has never been greater accountability for U.S. military assistance than for aid to Ukraine.
  • Shortly after the Russian invasion, the U.S. government set up the Interagency Task Force to oversee Ukraine. More than 160 officials in 20 federal oversight agencies oversee U.S. assistance to Ukraine.
  • To date, Congress has appropriated $50 million to the Inspectors General of the Department of Defence, Department of State and USAID to strengthen oversight through the working group.
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    Chapter II

    • The groups have completed dozens of Reports and dozens more are in development. According to the Working Group, “Investigations related to the response to events in Ukraine have not yet confirmed significant waste, fraud, or abuse.”
    • The White House’s proposed supplemental option for Ukraine would add another $15 million to fund additional oversight activities. Among other things, this additional funding would allow the State Department’s Office of Inspector General to “increase inspections and investigations beyond the 27 ongoing and planned projects that cover foreign assistance, management, and operations.” Fact: Europe has spent more on aid to Ukraine than the US.
    • According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy’s Ukraine aid tracker, Europe’s total commitments are now more than double the US after adding up all aid (military, economic, humanitarian and refugee aid).
    • Twenty European countries have given more to Ukraine than the US as a percentage of GDP. Fact: A winning Ukraine means a safer Taiwan.
    • The choice between security in Europe and security in the Indo-Pacific is a false dichotomy. In terms of U.S. national interests, the two regions are closely linked.
    • Russia is China’s junior partner. A weakened or defeated Russia means a weaker China. Beijing is watching Western powers support Ukraine, so a strong and victorious Ukraine makes Taiwan stronger and deters Chinese aggression.
    • It is no coincidence that earlier this year, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishidaposited Ukraine while Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Russia. During that visit, Xi Jinping told Vladimir Putin, “Changes are taking place now that have not been seen in 100 years. When we are together, we drive these changes.”
    • In Xi’s own words, “Indo-Pacific security cannot be separated from European security”. Fact: European stability, which Russia is trying to undermine, affects the American worker.
    • North America and Europe account for approximately48 per cent of the world economy.
    • Europe is America’s largest source of foreign investment. In 2021, EuropeAccounted for $3.19 trillion of the $4.98 trillion in foreign investment in the U.S., or about 64 per cent.
    • The U.S. and Europe are each other’s largest export markets. In 2022, 45 of the 50 states, including one state’s largest economy, California, will export more goods to Europe than to China.
    • Europe is also important to the American heartland. Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma export five times more to Europe than to China.
    • When Americans build something for export, it protects American jobs. European stability brings incalculable benefits to the U.S. economy and, by extension, to American workers. Aid to Ukraine helps maintain that stability. Fact: The lessons the U.S. learns from Ukraine will make America stronger in the Indo-Pacific region.
    • Supporting Ukraine exposed serious flaws in the American defence industrial base that the US is now addressing. Fortunately, these flaws were discovered when America was not directly at war.
    • The deployment to Ukraine was a test of American-made military hardware in a way that is not possible in peacetime. The U.S. is learning what works, what doesn’t work, and how to make improvements. This is preparing America for future warfare to a degree that is unattainable by exercises alone.
    • The US is replacing all the weapons it gives Ukraine with new, more effective systems.
    • As Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen stated, “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a wake-up call for all of us.” Because of its support for Ukraine, US allies and partners in East Asia are spending more on defence to better prepare for future threats. Fact: The weapons the U.S. sends to Ukraine do not affect America’s ability to fight conflict in the Indo-Pacific.