Politics Unit 3 AOS2- State responses: U.S & Germany

Question 1

U.S Biden Administration- Financial response

Answer 1

• Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative
• Congressional financial support

Question 2

USAI

Answer 2

• Set up in 2015
• Intended to build Ukraine’s capacity to defend its sovereignty
• extra $12.1 bn pledged in 2023

Question 3

Congressional financial support

Answer 3

• 5 specific congressional bills passed to provide Ukraine aid with most recent being in April 2024
• total amount covered is $175bn euros
• provided $20bn loan using russian assets in Jan 2025

Question 4

U.S Biden Administration- Military response

Answer 4

Provision of cluster munitions
- In 2023 U.S made an announcement it will supply Ukraine with cluster munitions
- Not supported by EU + other western states
- Cluster munitions are prohibited under IL (U.S has not signed CCM)

Question 5

What shaped Germany’s response

Answer 5

• Partly shaped by perspective on crisis as they have historical tension with Russia which informed desire to have no part in future conflicts
• Shift in perspective caused by continuation of war as it threatens the security of all states in eastern europe
• Perspective shift to protect interest + historical tensions led to desire to hold Russia accountable

Question 6

Germany’s response

Answer 6

Shifted from no involvement to military aid in 2022 & helping Ukraine being top priority in 2023
- Financial- providing direct funds to Ukraine to assist their resistance
- Humanitarian- providing significant aid & entry for Ukrainian refugees (most compared to any other state)
- Military- providing vast amounts of munitions and weapons

Question 7

Germany + U.S response explanation

Answer 7

Russia’s crisis has led to a number of states responding in aid of Ukraine, two of them being Germany and the U.S. The U.S has provided Ukraine aid since the start of the war. This aid includes the forming of the USAI program for improving their military capability, congressional support through 5 specific Congressional bills being passed with the total amount committed being $175 bn to aid Ukraine, and a large number of sanctions imposed on Russia. Germany however, approached the war with caution due to their historical tension with Russia but after seeing the continuation of the war they saw Russia as a threat to their security and began providing aid to Ukraine. Their primary form of aid is humanitarian aid, taking in the most Ukrainian refugees and have said that they will continue to support Ukraine “for as long as necessary”.