How Much Has the US Really Spent on Ukraine?

You’ve probably heard many different numbers from many different sources– some claiming that as much as $500 billion has been spent on Ukraine. The real number is much smaller than that. According to the US Defense Department, congress has appropriated $182.8 billion to Ukraine since the invasion began. Of that amount, only $83.4 billion has actually been dispersed.

It’s worth noting that $20 billion worth of dispersed aid comes in the form of loans, which Ukraine will have to pay back, with interest. Another portion of the aid comes in the form of outdated and deteriorating military equipment that is already on the verge of being thrown out. 

To put things in perspective, the US spent $861 billion on defense in 2022, the first year of the invasion. That means that the $83.4 billion in spending on Ukraine represents about 10% of a single year’s worth of defense spending. 

For reference, Ukraine’s cost of war has now surpassed 43,000 dead Defenders (offical numbers only), 12,300 dead civilians, 250 destroyed hospitals and schools, and thousands of kidnapped children.

UkraineOversight.gov, 2025

TradingEconomics.com, 2025

https://www.ukraineoversight.gov/Funding/ 

https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/military-expenditure 

https://www.ifw-kiel.de/topics/war-against-ukraine/ukraine-support-tracker/