Allied Burden Sharing in Ukraine

Please join the CSIS Project on Prosperity and Development, in collaboration with the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, for a conversation on Allied Burden Sharing in Ukraine.

In aggregate terms, the United States is the world’s largest financier of foreign aid and military assistance for Ukraine. While this support is laudable, the contributions of our European partners are comparable. Measured on a per capita basis, the U.S. is tenth in overall support for Ukraine, trailing the Baltic states, Poland, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Norway, and the UK. Including bilateral aid, EU military, financial and humanitarian commitments, and refugee costs. Over 8 million Ukrainian refugees are presently in Europe, with 5 million registered for Temporary Protection. Germany and Poland alone have taken 2.5 million, and these burden-sharing contributions should not be discounted.  

European burden-sharing has also been substantial on energy and trade. While US liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity is predicted to more than double, European states are suffering from intense vulnerability to global market dynamics and prolonged reductions in energy consumption. European countries have also faced trade disruption in other areas including food, with falling imports of staple goods like maize and wheat. These effects are felt on top of foreign aid and military assistance, where Europe has also made significant contributions. If Ukraine is to emerge victorious, the United States and its European partners will need to collectively clarify and carry these burdens.

This event was made possible by general support to CSIS.