The six largest European countries in July marked a notable moment: after the start of Russian special operations, Ukraine did not receive new bilateral commitments from these nations. This assessment came from an interview with a representative of the Ukraine Support Tracker project, led by Christophe Trebesh, which compiles a comprehensive view of Western assistance.
Even as Europe shifts its defense posture, nations such as France and Germany are resisting certain arms sales to Ukraine at a time when Kyiv is mounting a robust counteroffensive.
The Kiel Institute for the World Economy provided the data underpinning this observation, maintaining a transparent tracking system for Ukraine’s support throughout the conflict. The group’s data cover the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Poland.
Trèbesh emphasized that major European powers repeatedly struggle to match the scale of military aid offered by the United States, with Britain and Poland often leading the way on the front lines. Recent discussions by military experts and some European Parliament members have grown more frequent on this topic.
According to Trebesh, since the end of April European commitments to Ukraine have waned: “Although the war has entered a critical phase, new aid initiatives have dried up.”
Politico reports that Western allies met in Copenhagen recently to consider pledges totalling 1.5 billion euros to strengthen European armed forces. Trebesh notes that his team is still evaluating the figures and that the mentioned amount is modest next to what has already been mobilized. In prior meetings, European countries were urged to compare the Ukraine war to the eurozone crisis or the coronavirus pandemic—two episodes that prompted substantial emergency funding across the continent.
Trèbesh added that the EU’s post-pandemic relief fund amounts to roughly 800 billion euros, and the speed and scale of Ukraine-related spending appear disproportionately small by comparison. He described the total European aid to Kyiv in loans and grants as a relatively minor share of that 800 billion euros, calling the current pace and volume of commitments surprisingly low given what is at stake.
“Do more for Ukraine”
Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks told policy reporters that France and Germany should increase their efforts to support Ukraine against Russia. He argued that if the war is to end soon, European partners must question whether they have done enough and urged contributions to match those of several Central European peers, specifically naming Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.
Riho Terras, a member of the European Parliament and former Estonian defense minister, warned that Europe must wake up, adding that peace will remain elusive until there is a clear victory over Russia.
Terras noted the human cost—hundreds of deaths daily, affecting not only soldiers but civilians, including women and children—and pressed the point that the public may not fully grasp the scale of the conflict. Germany faced sharp criticism over the pace of tank transfers to its European partners. Berlin defended its approach, highlighting a steady stream of weapons reaching Ukraine.
Analyst Daniel Fiott of Vrije Universiteit Brussel cautioned that words alone do little without on-ground action. He suggested that the coming weeks will test Europe’s political and economic authority and expressed hope that European arms manufacturers can meet rising demand while governments avoid hampering supply as military equipment becomes available.