2025-10-14 19:26, updated 2025-10-14 20:27
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2025-10-14 19:26
update
2025-10-14 20:27
Military aid from European countries to Ukraine decreased by 57%. in July and August compared to the first half of 2025 – the Kiel Institute of the World Economy (IfW) announced on Tuesday. The decline occurred despite the launch of a new NATO initiative aimed at speeding up arms deliveries to Kiev.
According to the latest IfW report, European countries provided Ukraine with a total of EUR 3.3 billion in military aid in July and August, which is an average of approximately EUR 1.65 billion per month – 57 percent more. less than in the first half of the year. The decline in global terms was slightly smaller (43%) due to the large support package provided to Kiev by Canada in August.
“Europe is limiting its military support. The key now will be how these numbers will develop in the fall,” emphasized Christoph Trebesch, director of research at IfW.
Most of the military aid during the summer months was channeled through a new NATO mechanism called PURL (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List). This fund, agreed in July at a meeting between NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and US President Donald Trump, enables the alliance countries to finance off-the-shelf supplies of American weapons to Ukraine.
By the end of August, eight countries had joined the initiative: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, contributing a total of EUR 1.9 billion.
From the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 to the end of August 2025, Europe provided a total of EUR 83 billion in military aid to Ukraine and the United States provided EUR 64.6 billion. The US was the main donor of military aid until the end of 2024, but Europe dethroned it after it was dethroned in January this year. Donald Trump returned to the White House and limited support for Kiev.
According to the IfW report, despite the decline in military aid, financial and humanitarian support remained stable – in July and August it amounted to EUR 7.5 billion, of which 86 percent came from the European Union, including the Ukraine Facility program and the ERA lending mechanism.
“The overall level of financial and humanitarian support remains relatively stable, despite the lack of new American contributions. Now it is crucial that similar stability also applies to military assistance – Ukraine depends on it to maintain its defense on the front,” Trebesch noted.
US Ambassador to NATO: I count on significant declarations from allies regarding weapons purchases for Ukraine
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said he expected significant declarations from allies on Wednesday regarding spending to buy weapons for Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. Defense ministers of NATO countries will meet in Brussels on Wednesday.
Whitaker assured that the PURL (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List) program, under which NATO countries purchase weapons for the Ukrainian army in accordance with the list prepared by Kiev, “works smoothly and effectively.”
“Right now we expect our European allies to continue their purchases, and tomorrow, as I said, I expect some big announcements,” he added.
“It is time for our NATO allies to rise to the occasion and implement their commitments to Ukraine and its defense to create a scenario in which we can reach a peace agreement,” Whitaker said.
A meeting of NATO defense ministers is to be held on Wednesday in Brussels. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth is expected to attend. Then, the American minister will take part in a meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group.
Bloomberg noted that Whitaker was talking about the expected declarations from allies after the Kiel Institute reported that military aid to Ukraine dropped sharply in July and August. The amount of support on a monthly basis was on average 43%. lower than in the first half of this year – the Institute reported in the latest update of its Ukraine Support Tracker report.
Natalia Dziurdzińska from Washington
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