Over the last five years, Ukraine’s import of weapons has accounted for 0.7% of the world's arms imports. The country ranked fourteenth on the list of the world's largest arms importers, with its main suppliers being the Czech Republic, France, Lithuania, Poland, Turkey, and the U.S. Since the Russian invasion began two and a half months ago, the number of countries supplying weapons to Ukraine has multiplied.
Furthermore, the U.S. has allocated three $800 million military assistance packages to Kyiv. On April 28, the U.S. president called on Congress to supply an additional $33 billion to help Ukraine. The States are providing M777 howitzers and shells (a total of 90 pieces and almost 200,000 artillery rounds, reports the Department of Defense), laser-guided rocket systems, unmanned aerial systems (including hundreds of Switchblade loitering munitions and Puma reconnaissance drones), counter-artillery radars, over 1,400 Stinger missiles, Javelin missiles, and other anti-armor systems, writes the Forum on the Arms Trade. Ukraine is also getting small arms, over 50 million ammunition rounds, bulletproof vests (to the total amount of $3.6 billion), five Soviet-made Mi-17 helicopters (they had been intended for Afghanistan until the Taliban took control), hundreds of armored vehicles (those had been supplied even before the invasion), and 200 M113 armored personnel carriers.
The UK is supplying Ukraine with Stormer anti-aircraft vehicles, 10,000 short-range and anti-tank missiles (including NLAWs and Javelins), naval-launched Brimstone Sea Spear missiles, Saxon armored personnel carriers, 35 FV103 Spartan armored personnel carriers, Mastiff, Husky, and Wolfhound armored vehicles, artillery pieces, Starstreak air defense systems, loitering munitions, and Malloy Aeronautics T150 cargo drones. Ireland is sending 200 armored vests, medicines, and fuel.
Canada has offered eight Roshel Senator armored vehicles, four М777 howitzers, 4,500 М72 grenade launchers, up to 7,500 hand grenades, small arms, including sniper rifles, and 1.5 million ammunition rounds. Australia will send 20 Bushmaster armored vehicles, 6 M777 howitzers, rockets, and other weapons to the amount of $51.6 million.
Lithuania and Latvia have pledged to supply Ukraine with Stinger anti-aircraft missile systems, while Estonia threw in some Javelin anti-tank missiles and nine 122-mm D-30 howitzers (with Germany’s permission).
France is supplying MILAN anti-tank missile systems and at least ten Caesar howitzers, while Germany has provided 50 Flakpanzer Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, 1,000 anti-tank missile systems, and 500 Stinger anti-aircraft missile systems.
The Italian government has approved a shipment of Stingers, anti-tank missile systems, machine guns, and mine clearance systems. However, this initiative is pending the parliament's approval.
Spain has pledged to supply 20 Uro Vamtac armored vehicles, 1,370 anti-tank grenade launchers, 700,000 ammunition rounds for rifles and machine guns, light machine guns, 20 tons of medical supplies, helmets, flak jackets, and NBC (nuclear-biological-chemical) protection waistcoats. Portugal is supplying five 150-mm M115 howitzers, 15 М113 armored personnel carriers, four Iveco M 40.12 WM armored vehicles, G3 automatic rifles, grenades, and ammunition.
The Netherlands is delivering armored personnel carriers (presumably, YPR-765), 200 Stinger anti-aircraft missile systems, 3,000 combat helmets, and 2,000 fragmentation vests, one hundred sniper rifles with 30,000 pieces of ammunition, and 400 rocket-propelled grenade launchers (with Germany’s permission).
Luxembourg has pledged 100 NLAWs (anti-tank weapons), Jeep Wrangler 4×4 vehicles, and 15 military tents, while Belgium has provided 200 anti-tank weapons and 5,000 automatic rifles and machine guns.
Finland's assistance includes 2,500 assault rifles and 150,000 cartridges for them, 1,500 single-shot anti-tank weapons, and combat ration packages. Sweden has pledged 10,000 AT4 anti-tank grenade launchers, helmets, and bulletproof vests; Norway is supplying over 20 M109A3GN howitzers, 4,000 pieces of anti-tank weapons, helmets, armored vests, and other protective equipment, and Denmark will send 50 M113G3DK armored personnel carriers, 25 Piranha IIIC armored vehicles, 25 Heidrun unmanned aerial systems, 2,700 pieces of anti-tank weapons, 300 Stinger anti-aircraft systems, and armored vests.
Poland has pledged over 200 T-72 tanks, 40 BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles, over 20 self-propelled artillery pieces, over 20 Grad multiple launch rocket systems, and Thunderbolt short-range air defense systems and munition. The Polish Ministry of Defense has expressed readiness to supply ammunition, air defense systems, light mortars, and reconnaissance drones.
The Czech Republic has pledged T-72 tanks and 56 PbV-501 infantry fighting vehicles (an upgraded version of the BMP-1), over 20 self-propelled guns, over 20 RM-70 multiple launch rocket systems, Strela-10M air defense missile systems, 160 shoulder-fired MANPADS systems, 4,000 mortars, 20 light machine guns, over 7,000 assault rifles, 3,000 machine guns, 30,000 pistols, a batch of sniper rifles, and one million bullets.
Slovakia is sending Ukraine S-300 air defense systems, according to Oryx, while Slovenia is providing T-72 tanks, Kalashnikov rifles, helmets, and ammunition. Romania has allocated €3 million for the procurement of bulletproof vests, helmets, ammunition, and medical supplies. North Macedonia will also send unspecified military supplies to Ukraine. Greece will provide portable rocket launchers, ammunition, and Kalashnikov rifles. Croatia has pledged €16.5 million worth of rifles, machine guns, and protective equipment.
Turkey is setting up the co-production of Bakar Bayraktar TB2 armed drones with Ukraine, and Japan is providing bulletproof vests, helmets, and other non-lethal military aid.
Over the two months of the war, the U.S. military aid alone has bordered on $3.5 billion. Importantly, in addition to supplying available weapons (some of which are outdated), the Americans are rapidly developing new ones for Ukraine. According to Air Force Magazine, the U.S. will provide Ukraine with at least 121 Phoenix Ghost unmanned aerial systems, which were only fielded in April. Phoenix Ghost was developed with the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in mind, announced Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby.
The issue of supplying heavy weapons and aircraft remains the most debatable. Thus, on April 19, Kirby said Ukraine had received MiG-29 fighter jets from the arsenals of other former Warsaw Pact countries. However, he later withdrew his statement, specifying that Ukraine only received parts for repairing damaged planes.
Christine Lambrecht, the German Federal Minister of Defense, announced on May 6 that Germany intends to supply Ukraine with seven self-propelled artillery pieces PzH 2000 (Panzerhaubitze 2000). Military experts rank this weapon, which has a firing range of 30–50 km, as the best in the world. However, as Stern points out, the Germans are only prepared to send the pieces that are being repaired, not battle-ready ones. Training Ukrainian crews will also take time. The PzH 2000s are expected to have been repaired and ready for shipment by late June. Five more such pieces have been pledged to Ukraine by the Netherlands.
According to the military experts interviewed by The Insider, the Ukrainian troops will not be able to launch a counteroffensive without more heavy weapons. Preparing for the pushback will take them at least another month.