Russia wants a part of Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refuses to acknowledge his territory. And after more than three years of war, he is leading peace negotiations Donald Trump’s US administrationhas repeatedly criticised the scale of Washington’s support.
If the contract is reached, the question will be who will ensure the security of Ukraine after the war and who will pay for its reconstruction. However, without a peace agreement, the aid provided by the United States could be reduced even further. It raises another question: Who has the ability to fill the gap?
Which country contributes most to Ukraine’s war efforts?
So far, Ukraine has received more than 300 billion euros, either military, humanitarian or financial aid, from at least 41 countries, according to the World Economic Research Institute, a German-based think tank.
Most of this support comes from NATO allies, of which 23 are also EU member states. Canada allocated 11.94 billion euros, while Norway provided 64.9 billion euros between January 2022 and June 2025. Non-Natal countries such as Australia, Japan, Switzerland, Austria, South Korea and Ireland also provide great support.
Meanwhile, the US spends $130 billion on Ukraine (11112.8 billion euros), accounting for 37% of the support for the nation that occupied 37% of the total government support. Collectively, however, Europe is contributing an additional 138 billion euros total, combining EU-level support with bilateral contributions from individual countries inside and outside the bloc.
Within Europe, Germany (2.129 billion euros), the UK (1.861 billion euros), the Netherlands (1.089 billion euros) and France (75.6 billion euros) stand out as the biggest donors. On the other end of the scale, Hungary, Slovenia and Greece each contributed between 0.050 million and 0.15 million euros.
Can Europe fill the US gap?
Filling the gap doesn’t seem impossible, at least on paper.
Estimates based on data from 2024 suggest that Europe should only increase by 0.12% in GDP, offsetting the complete loss of US military aid.
In fact, Europe had already proven that it could at least intervene temporarily. The US suspended all support for Ukraine in May and June 2025, and without the announcement of new aid, Europe not only filled the gap, but surpassed Washington for the first time since June 2022.
Still, money is just part of the equation.
Although US aid to Ukraine has plummeted since Donald Trump returned to the White House, Washington remains the only largest donor. Beyond cash, the US offers critical military hardware: 305 infantry combat vehicles, 201 howitzers, 18 air defense systems, and 41 Himars Rocket launchers.
The actual test lies in whether Washington continues to provide European funding capabilities, or whether there is a complete halt in delivery and intelligence sharing of American equipment.
“If we lose all US support, the holes will remain significantly larger than the numbers alone suggest.” Written by Luigi ScazzieriSenior Policy Analyst at the European Union Security Institute (EUISS).
He emphasized that air defense systems and intelligence are particularly difficult for Europe to replace with the same quality and scale as the US.
Meanwhile, the EU is also competing to strengthen its own defense against potential Russian attacks by 2030. However, progress is slower than desired, especially in the acquisition of major high-end equipment.
According to a recent analysis by a Brussels-based think tank BruegelEuropean defense industry is “very vulnerable” despite recent investments and relies heavily on imports from the US.
Researchers at Bruegel and the Kiel Institute for the World Economy have discovered that Europe is still heavily dependent on Washington. It still relies on polar missiles, next-generation jets, AI integrated systems, and intelligence.
“There’s been some increase in the various systems, particularly artillery, where there’s a significant increase, but these increases are still relatively small compared to overall demand,” said Gantram Wolf, a senior researcher at Bruegel, at the report’s June launch.
The gap is strict. In 2023, Europe won 1,627 main battle tanks, but forecasts suggest that it will be needed between 2,359 and 2,920. For air defense systems such as Patriot and SAMP/T, stock levels in 2024 were 35 units.
“Major investments in research and development are essential,” the report author advised EU policymakers and the central government.
