What is the U.S. spending in Ukraine and Israel?

Pentagon officials announced Oct. 13 the United States would send a missile defense system and troops to Israel—a promise coming two weeks after Israel declared it had secured an $8.7 billion U.S. aid package. On Sept. 26, President Joe Biden also announced another $8 billion in military assistance for Ukraine. Supporting the defense of Ukraine and Israel are priorities for the administration, but various politicians have criticized U.S. funding in both places. Here’s how American spending on Ukraine and Israel compares with other recent conflicts.

What has the U.S. spent on Ukraine since Russia’s February 2022 invasion? Congress has appropriated more than $174 billion in supplemental funding for Ukraine, through June, since Russia’s invasion began. This includes about $60 billion committed to purchase new or transfer excess U.S. military equipment, such as tanks, air defense systems, aircraft, ammunition, and rockets. In addition, it provides training for Ukrainians and NATO allies, covers costs for deploying more U.S. troops to Europe, and replenishes U.S. and allied stocks. Also included are economic and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine and neighboring countries affected by the invasion.

How much has been provided to Israel? The United States has provided its Middle East ally with more than $155 billion since its founding in 1948 to improve its military’s capabilities, including about $4 billion a year since 2019. Congress in April approved a $26 billion aid package that set aside $13 billion to replenish and expand Israel’s military and rocket defenses or purchase new weapons, supplies, and training; just over $9 billion for humanitarian aid to conflict victims worldwide, including Gaza; and the remainder to reimburse the U.S. military for unplanned operations in the Middle East. The United States also maintains war stockpiles in Israel from which it gives or loans items during military emergencies like the ­current wars with Hamas and Hezbollah.

By comparison, how much did the U.S. spend for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? The United States spent about $1.7 trillion for operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria between fiscal years 2001 and 2023, according to the Defense and Treasury departments. That comes out to $4,386 for each taxpayer for Afghanistan and $4,093 per taxpayer for Iraq operations over the 23-year period. A similar accounting for Ukraine funding for 2022 through October comes to roughly $800 per taxpayer. The Iraq and Afghanistan figures don’t account for the significant costs of other government agency work, unclassified and secret, in these countries and the region or for the significant costs for veteran care resulting from war casualties.

What about in the Indo-Pacific region? Most of the funds spent in the Indo-Pacific are included in the government’s annual expenditures. When Congress passed additional Ukraine and Israel funding in April, it added about $8 billion to “counter communist China and ensure a strong deterrence in the region.” The White House asked Congress for $9.9 billion for fiscal year 2025 for the Department of Defense’s Pacific Deterrence Initiative, almost $1 billion more than the previous year’s request. The initiative counters China’s aggressive actions and is part of the Pentagon’s proposed overall $850 billion budget. The Pacific initiative does not include expenses of stationing service members overseas, military operations and exercises, and developing new weapons.