The proposed aid package for Ukraine in the new aid package of $95.34 billion is $48.34 billion for Ukraine broken down as follows:
Notice that $19.85 billion replenishment of stocks to DOD and $14.8 billion for DOD ops in EUCOME AOR or $34.6 billion are really for DOD of the total $48.43 billion. $13.8 billion in USAl for Ukraine to purchase US weapons and ($7.85 billion direct support to Ukraine government).
The Kiel Institute Ukraine Support tracker doesn't include much of these US costs. Moreover, as noted in Kiel's report, however, the gap between EU commitments and allocations remains very large (€144 billion committed vs. €77 billion allocated). To fully replace U.S. military assistance in 2024, Europe would have to double its current level and pace of arms assistance. These are results from the latest Ukraine Support Tracker update, which now covers aid through January 15, 2024.
Europe has made monetary pledges for over the next 5 years, but there are no guarantees that they will be met. When you look at the data on commitments versus disbursed, it is apparent that the US is doing more than its share. And Kiel's data don't show the other expenses the US incurs to support this proxy war. Kiel also likes to use per capita expenditures to portray the US as not doing as much as many other countries. Blinken said today at the G& that he has never seen such an equitable sharing of the burden for the Ukraine War. We are supposed to believe that the US is just paying its fair share. The reality is that without the US contributions, the war would be over. We are still paying the lion's share.
And DOD is using Ukraine as a cash cow to supplement its budget. It is a tactic that I have seen firsthand over 36 years in the federal government, which is not unique to DOD.
IMO I think we would be astounded to find out how much we really are spending on the war. The Interl Community, Staste Department, USAID, etc. are also incurring additional costs to support the war.
When you bundle the US, European, and other countries costs you are looking at hundreds of billions of dollars over a two year period being invested in Ukraine. There is no real accounting of how it is being spent. How can Ukraine absorb such huge sums and spend them wisely? We spent $4.8 trillion on Covid and GAO estimates conservatively that 10% or close to $500 billion was lost due to waste fraud, and abuse. Insane.