Finland’s support to Ukraine: facts and numbers
In the face of full-scale Russian aggression, Finland has been an important source of support for Ukraine. While many countries have stepped forward to lend assistance to the country, Finland has made a proportionately large commitment of resources to help Ukraine. These commitments have included both humanitarian and financial aid, as well as a substantial military contribution.
The Kiel Institute for the World Economy estimated that in 2022 Finland committed, in general, over 0.899 billion euros to help Ukraine combat Russian aggression. This commitment accounts for 0.360 percent of Finland's GDP, putting it among the top 11 nations in terms of its response.
- Regarding humanitarian aid, Finland donated 0.051 billion euros to Ukraine, the equivalent of 0.020 percent of Finland's GDP. This places Finland in the top 14 countries in terms of their humanitarian response to the situation.
- Finland also provided financial aid to 0.082 billion euros, representing 0.033 percent of its GDP. This puts Finland among the top 18 countries in terms of its financial response to the situation in Ukraine.
- Finally, Finland made a significant military commitment to Ukraine, with a total allocation of 0.767 billion euros, or 0.307 percent of its GDP. This makes it one of the top 10 nations in terms of its military assistance to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.
NB! According to The Kyiv Independent, as of May 25, 2023, Finland provided the 16th package of military aid, thus increasing the sum of the type of assistance to 1.1 billion euros. This package comprises, among other elements, anti-aircraft systems, and associated munitions.
Moreover, on April 21, Ukraine received a shipment of defense training equipment from Helsinki in accordance with the European Union Military Assistance Mission in Support of Ukraine (EUMAM). This shipment was part of an effort to equip the 30,000 Ukrainian troops participating in EUMAM, providing them with the necessary resources to complete their mission.
Considering the implications of Finland's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for Ukraine is also important.
NATO has welcomed Finland as its thirty-first member, fundamentally transforming the security situation in Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea region. This move has sparked higher aspirations among those in Ukraine who favor European-Atlantic integration, with Ukraine eventually becoming a NATO member state. Despite the relative ease with which Finland experienced its accession, Ukraine confronts significantly more intricate difficulties. Chief among these is the lack of security guarantees, exacerbated by its strained relations with the leadership of Hungary. Many other NATO-member countries are unconvinced by the notion that Ukraine, following Finland's immediate and swift accession, can quickly be accepted itself.
Overall, Finland has shown an outstanding commitment to Ukraine during this trying time, with its response extending far beyond merely rhetorical symbols of solidarity. Finland's considerable contributions of humanitarian and financial aid and its significant military assistance demonstrate its strong commitment to standing together with Ukraine during this war.
