In a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, US President Donald Trump claimed that the United States has provided significantly more aid to Ukraine than European countries. Speaking at the White House on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Trump emphasized the financial disparity.
“The United States has put up far more aid for Ukraine than any other nation,” Trump said, adding, “We’ve spent more than USD 300 billion, and Europe has spent about USD 100 billion. That’s a big difference, and at some point, we should equalize,” CNN reported.
However, CNN fact-checked Trump’s claims, citing data from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. According to the German think tank, European Union countries and individual European nations had collectively committed approximately USD 258 billion in total wartime military, financial, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine through December, surpassing the US commitment of about USD 124 billion.
Europe also led in overall military, financial, and humanitarian support, allocating around USD 138 billion compared to the US’s USD 119 billion. The only category where the US held a narrow lead was military aid, contributing about USD 67 billion against Europe’s USD 65 billion—far from the substantial gap Trump described.
During the press conference, Macron and Trump joined G7 leaders via a call, reaffirming their commitment to Ukraine amid diplomatic tensions. Macron’s visit to Washington underscored European concerns about being sidelined in recent US-Russia discussions on ending the war.
Trump also commented on Ukraine’s efforts to reclaim Russian-occupied territories. When asked whether Ukraine could recover its lost land, Trump said, “That’s not an easy thing to do… yeah, perhaps some of it. I hope so. It’s going to be something we will be talking about,” gesturing to Macron seated beside him.
Macron’s visit and the G7 leaders’ discussions come at a critical juncture, as global powers navigate the complexities of the protracted conflict and seek viable solutions for lasting peace in the region.