Arms deliveries to Ukraine: Belgian contribution limited compared to other NATO countries

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the United States has supplied the most weapons to the region. The US has already invested $18.10 billion in the war, remarkably more than Germany, the UK and Poland, other NATO countries that supplied many weapons. This is according to a report by the Group for Research and Information on Peace and Security (GRIP), published on Thursday. Belgium is at the very bottom of the list of suppliers.

Of the 30 NATO member states, 27 participated in supplying arms and military equipment to Ukraine between 1 January and 30 November 2022. According to the GRIP report, these include Albania, Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

Calculations based on official data show that these countries contributed $32.3 billion to the total of $33.2 billion in shipments. The US remains the largest supplier of military equipment to Ukraine, with $18.10 billion - a figure surpassed since late November. Germany is in second place with $4.1 billion. The UK invested $3.5 billion, and Poland $2.3 billion.

Belgium is the penultimate of the 18 Atlantic Alliance countries for which figures are available. The country has so far supplied military equipment to Ukraine worth about $9.5 million. This puts Belgium firmly behind the Netherlands, which ranks sixth with $837 million. GRIP urges that the data in the report be treated "with caution".

Meanwhile, Germany confirms that it will continue to supply arms to Ukraine. Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck said so on Thursday at an economic conference in the Norwegian capital Oslo. "We will adapt our supplies to the needs on the battlefield," Habeck said. He was referring to the French decision to supply armoured vehicles to Kyiv.

US President Joe Biden confirmed yesterday that the United States is considering supplying Bradley combat vehicles to Ukraine.

^{© AFP PHOTO John Thys}