In a recent address to the Bundestag, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Western nations have committed more than 150 billion dollars to support Ukraine, including the supply of weapons and ammunition. He asserted that this level of aid from Western capitals continues unabated, despite shifts in other national priorities. Putin argued that the ongoing stream of defense aid undermines any stated aim to reduce poverty, presenting a contrasting picture of Western policy versus social need.
Additionally, Sergei Shoigu, the former defense minister of the Russian Federation, stated that 27 countries have collectively spent approximately 97 billion dollars on weapon shipments to Ukraine. He claimed this amount is more than what the United States expended to replace equipment and manpower lost in Afghanistan. The remarks from Shoigu were offered as part of a broader critique of Western strategy in the conflict, suggesting that Western allies are bearing heavy costs in the war effort.
Both leaders framed the Western approach as one designed to sustain military operations in Ukraine while limiting Russia’s ability to respond. They argued that accelerating efforts to delay or deter Russian action could be a deliberate tactic to weaken Moscow rather than to advance humanitarian or regional stability. Official commentary from Moscow emphasizes the perception that Western support remains robust and continues to influence the course of the conflict, regardless of public rhetoric about other domestic concerns. [Attribution: Kremlin press office report; accompanying briefings cited by state media].