Here’s another way to think of it: the federal government spent $6.48 trillion last fiscal year, meaning the money spent on Ukraine today would be equivalent to approximately 2% of the US budget.
Nearly $40 billion of that aid has already gone to humanitarian relief and military security assistance. Some aid falls under a lend-lease program President Joe Biden signed in May 2022, meaning Ukraine will have to pay back a certain amount to the US after the war, plus interest.
Currently, Congress is debating the feasibility of long-term support for Ukraine. With immeasurable suffering felt within Ukraine (the United States has accused Russia of war crimes) and millions of refugees heading to neighboring countries, the world wonders how much longer this war will last and what role the US is expected to continue playing.
How is the money for Ukraine distributed?
Nearly 95% of the discretionary spending for Ukraine goes to the Department of Defense and the State Department, which manages the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The remaining funds are dispersed among government and non-government agencies that provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees.
While tracking every dollar of appropriated funds is difficult, a large portion goes toward security and economic concerns for the US and European allies.[1]
Several billion is for domestic national security concerns, such as replenishing US military equipment and munition stocks.
Other domestic funds go to programs addressing cybercrime threats, promoting energy independence, and even seizing property belonging to Russian oligarchs.
Roughly $20 billion is for European Command Operations, which involves deploying military personnel throughout Eastern European countries, subsequent intelligence support operations, and additional assistance to friendly foreign nations.
The largest portion of the aid package goes to the Ukrainian people, covering military assistance, refugee resettlement, macroeconomic support, and more.
The money from these bills can take years to distribute. According to Congressional Budget Office reports, the US expects to provide emergency funding for Ukraine and neighboring countries until 2032.
This means that, while the US has set aside roughly $115 billion for aid, most of the money hasn’t been spent yet. Departments that received emergency funding have discretion over how much money will be dealt out over time.
How much humanitarian aid has the US given Ukraine?
According to USAID, the US granted Ukraine nearly $10 billion in development and humanitarian support during the first year of the war.
Additional funding from USAID has also gone towards paying salaries for civil servants such as educators, healthcare workers, and first responders.
The nation initially budgeted for less than $5 billion in humanitarian aid for 2022, but discretionary spending varies based on immediate needs creating by the conflict. This is also the case with military security assistance.
How much military aid has the US given Ukraine?
The US has sent more than $30 billion in military assistance to the Ukrainian government since February 24, 2022, primarily through presidential drawdowns and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).
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 31 drawdowns for Ukraine as of the war's one-year anniversary.
The USAI is a Defense Department-led program focused on increasing Ukraine’s defenses against Russian aggression through military training, equipment, and intelligence support.[2]
Military assistance comes in the form of equipment and weaponry. The Defense Department regularly updates a comprehensive list of supplies sent to Ukraine.
Where did foreign aid for Ukraine come from?
The nation has allocated $114.9 billion in aid over the last year, contained in four separate bills.
In 2022[3], the US appropriated nearly $55 billion in foreign aid towards supporting Ukraine during Russia’s war.
These funds were from the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 and the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 which provide $13.6 and $41.6 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 $12.3 and $47.4 billion in emergency funding, respectively.
Additionally, President Biden signed the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act in May 2022, authorizing the US military to provide Ukraine and other Eastern European countries with equipment.
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