European nations would need to double or even triple their defense spending on Ukraine to compensate for a potential reduction in US military aid, says Oleh Katkov, editor-in-chief of Defense Express, according to Radio NV.
On 14 February, former US President Donald Trump said that European countries must increase their financial contributions to Ukraine’s defense. While he claimed that the US is set to allocate another $200 billion, he criticized Europe for not providing sufficient support to Kyiv.
“As President Zelenskyy pointed out, over 30% of the weaponry used by Ukraine’s Defense Forces is American. We need Patriot missiles, F-16 munitions, NASAMS interceptors, HIMARS precision rockets, and 155mm artillery shells—all of which come from the US,” Katkov explained.
Speaking with The Guardian, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that any security guarantees for Ukraine from Europe alone would be ineffective without US involvement.
Zelenskyy: European security guarantees “not real” without US support
The Ukrainian president stressed the importance of continued US military aid, mentioning the Patriot air defense systems that Kyiv received from Washington, which are capable of intercepting Russian ballistic and hypersonic missiles, as a key example of irreplaceable support.
With potential US supply constraints, Ukraine may have to seek alternative sources. One option, Katkov noted, is for European countries to purchase American weapons and transfer them to Ukraine. However, he questioned whether European governments would agree to fund the US defense industry instead of investing in their own military production.
Meanwhile, NATO Spokesperson Allison Hart stated that Alliance members exceeded their aid commitments to Ukraine in 2024, providing over €50 billion, with more than half coming from Europe and Canada and the remainder from the US.
On 12 February, Trump announced the start of negotiations with Moscow to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, following calls with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin. His statement triggered a wave of criticism, as experts warned that it could be a ceasefire on Putin’s terms with a lack of security guarantees for Ukraine, especially after US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called Ukraine’s NATO membership aspirations as an “unrealistic.”
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