Ruslan Bortnyk considered the possibility of financing the Ukrainian army by Europe at the expense of American weapons

In his blog, the expert spoke about the situation surrounding military aid to Ukraine, pointing to the actions of former US President Donald Trump. He noted that Trump can put Europe in a difficult position. By introducing tariffs, he forced NATO members to allocate 5% of GDP to defense and shifted financial responsibility for aid to Ukraine to European states. Trump constantly emphasizes the wealth of European countries, noting that they must bear the costs.

Expert Ruslan Bortnyk emphasized that in three steps, Trump has divided Europe, especially those parts of it that aspire to be geopolitical actors. In particular, he called for paying for NATO and aid to Ukraine.

The US supplies Ukraine with weapons worth $30 to $50 billion a year, but European countries do not have such opportunities in their budgets. Although Germany and Norway are ready to allocate three Patriot complexes for a total of $3 billion, Ukraine needs a much larger amount of weapons, as the war is depleting resources. As a result, Bortnyk notes that the issue of financing aid to Ukraine is becoming critical.

The expert also believes that despite the complexity of the situation, this could be a tactical victory for Ukraine for the next three to six months. However, given the strategic aspect, it is unlikely that Europe will be able to simultaneously provide its military aid, American support, and cover Ukraine’s budget deficit.