**Europe’s Aid to Ukraine Surpasses US by 26 Billion Euros**
In a significant development, the total assistance allocated by Europe to Ukraine since 2022 has reached 138 billion euros ($157 billion), surpassing the United States by 23 billion euros ($26 billion). This is according to an April 15 report by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy‘s Ukraine Aid Tracker.
The US still leads in military aid, with a total of 65 billion euros ($74 billion) compared to Europe’s 64 billion euros ($71 billion). However, the gap is narrowing as Washington has not allocated new aid since January 9. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has yet to provide fresh aid for Ukraine, citing his desire to broker a ceasefire and restore ties with Moscow.
**Trump’s Reluctance Fueled by European Donations**
The Kiel Institute’s report contradicts Trump’s claim that Europe had donated considerably less assistance to Ukraine while putting the US aid at $350 billion. In reality, European countries have steadily maintained their support for Ukraine, with recent aid packages from Sweden, Germany, the UK, Norway, and Denmark.
**Ukraine Calls for More Aid**
As Russia continues its unrelenting attacks on Ukrainian cities, Ukraine has ramped up calls for new aid, particularly air defense systems. Researchers at the Kiel Institute have highlighted the disparity between various European countries, with some larger Western economies such as France, Italy, or Spain allocating smaller portions of their GDP compared to the Nordics and Baltics.
**European Unity in the Face of Russian Aggression**
The recent pause in US aid has put pressure on European governments to do more, both financially and militarily. The EU‘s top diplomat, Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, criticized Hungary for lacking “moral clarity” on Russia’s war against Ukraine.
**Ukraine Invites Top EU Officials to Visit Kyiv**
In a symbolic move to counter Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annual Victory Day parade in Moscow, Ukraine has invited top European Union officials to visit Kyiv on May 9. This development comes as Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting, suggested using long-range Taurus missiles to target strategic Russian military infrastructure.
**Russia Continues Attacks**
The Russian military used three armored vehicles and eight motorized vehicles in recent assaults on Ukrainian cities. The attack on a residential building in Russia’s Kursk Oblast killed one person and injured nine others. Ukraine has invited top European Union officials to visit Kyiv on May 9, but the details of the invitation are still unclear.
**Aid to Ukraine**
The U.S. has provided a significant amount of military aid to Ukraine, with 65 billion euros ($74 billion) in total. However, the pace of new aid has slowed since Trump took office. In contrast, Europe has steadily maintained its support for Ukraine, with recent aid packages from Sweden, Germany, the UK, Norway, and Denmark.
**Conclusion**
Europe’s overall aid to Ukraine now surpasses the US by 26 billion euros, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy’s report. This development highlights the growing unity among European countries in the face of Russian aggression. As Ukraine continues to call for more aid, especially air defense systems, it remains unclear how long this pause in US aid will last.
**Sources**
* Kyiv Independent: “Europe’s overall Ukraine aid outpaces US by 26 billion monitors say”
* Kiel Institute for the World Economy: “Ukraine Aid Tracker”