News
Ukraine Support Tracker: Europe now leading spender on weapons production for Ukraine
For the first time since the start of the Trump administration, the United States approved major arms exports to Ukraine in May—but not as military aid. Instead, these are sales that Kyiv must finance itself. In contrast, European countries continued their support for Ukraine: Germany allocated a military aid package worth EUR 5 billion, the largest bilateral aid of the current update. Norway followed with EUR 1.5 billion, followed by a Belgian contribution of EUR 1.2 billion. The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Denmark each allocated between EUR 500–600 million.
Europe procures more military aid via industry contracts than the US
Of the EUR 10.5 billion in European military aid allocated in May and June 2025, at least EUR 4.6 billion is set to be channeled through procurement contracts with defense companies rather than drawn from existing stockpiles. These contracts have been primarily awarded to firms based in Europe and Ukraine—a clear indication of the expanding role of defense manufacturing in military assistance.
From the start of the war through June 2025, Europe has allocated at least EUR 35.1 billion in military aid via defense procurement—EUR 4.4 billion more than the United States.
“Military aid to Ukraine is increasingly determined by the capacity of the defense industry,” says Taro Nishikawa, project lead of the Ukraine Support Tracker. “Europe has now procured more through new defense contracts than the United States—marking a clear shift away from drawing on arsenals toward industrial production. To ensure timely and effective delivery of the promised aid, Europe therefore needs a strong and resilient defense industry.”
ERA loan mechanism as a financial lifeline
Financial support for Ukraine now largely relies on the ERA loan mechanism (Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration). This initiative, launched by the G7 and the European Commission, provides Ukraine with a total of EUR 45 billion in loans, financed through proceeds from frozen Russian assets. In May and June, the EU disbursed EUR 2 billion, Canada contributed EUR 1.5 billion, and Japan allocated around EUR 2.8 billion.
“The ERA loan mechanism is a key tool for ensuring Ukraine’s financial stability amid rising reconstruction costs and economic strain caused by the ongoing war,” says Nishikawa. “However, as the assistance pledged in October 2024 is gradually disbursed and the available funds diminish, it remains uncertain whether donors can sustain this level of support in the long run.”
About the Ukraine Support Tracker
The Ukraine Support Tracker tracks and quantifies military, financial, and humanitarian assistance pledged to Ukraine since January 24, 2022. Included are 41 countries, specifically the EU member states, the other members of the G7, Australia, South Korea, Turkey, Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland, Turkey, China, Taiwan, India, and Iceland. It includes pledges made by the governments of these countries to the Ukrainian government; aid pledged by the EU Commission and the European Investment Bank is listed separately; private donations or those from international organizations such as the IMF are not included in the main database. Nor does it include aid to Ukraine's neighbors, such as Moldova, or to other countries, such as for the reception of refugees.
Data sources include official government announcements and international media reports. Aid in kind, such as medical supplies, food, or military equipment, is estimated using market prices or information from previous relief operations. In cases of doubt, the higher available value is used. The Ukraine Support Tracker is constantly being expanded, corrected and improved. Feedback and comments on our methodology paper and dataset are very welcome. You can reach us at ukrainetracker@ifw-kiel.de.
More information and all detailed data can be found on the Ukraine Support Tracker webpage.
