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Destroyed building in the Ukrainian city of Siversk
Photo: STRINGER / REUTERS
As a result of the war, Germany and other states are raising many times the funds that they are providing directly to support the attacked Ukraine to deal with the crisis in their own country.
The Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) refers to this in its current evaluation of the “Ukraine Support Tracker” from Tuesday.
It collates and analyzes the military, financial and humanitarian aid promised to Ukraine.
Since the beginning of 2022, Germany has announced over 250 billion euros in subsidies to cushion the rise in energy prices for consumers and companies domestically.
The bilateral direct aid commitments to Ukraine, on the other hand, reached 6.15 billion euros.
In addition, there are a proportion of 7.2 billion euros that Germany contributes indirectly via the EU.
Taken together, both items amount to only five percent of the announced energy aid in Germany.
More money for transport than for Ukraine
To put this in context: the tank discount decided by Germany in 2022 and the 9-euro ticket in regional transport alone, at 5.65 billion euros, are of a similar magnitude to the bilateral aid to Ukraine.
There are multiples to rescue the energy trading group Uniper (34.5 billion euros or for the Bundeswehr special fund (100 billion). Germany is no exception. Financially, the EU countries allowed the stabilization of energy prices in their own country to cost ten times the amount , which they raised to support Ukraine.
A year after the start of the war, a familiar pattern is otherwise emerging.
"The Americans set the pace in supporting Ukraine," said the head of the analysis team, Christoph Trebesch.
"The hesitation of the Europeans in the first year of the war is a remarkable phenomenon, especially since financial resources can be mobilized quickly."
In 2022, the EU countries had meanwhile overtaken the USA in aid to Ukraine, which are now ahead again.
With further commitments totaling 37 billion euros in December, the USA has now earmarked just over 73.1 billion euros and the EU 54.9 billion.
beb/dpa
