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Estonia, take a bow. But let’s not lower the curtain yet

It’s no longer news, but it still deserves attention. By mid-April, Estonia had donated proportionally more military aid to Ukraine than any other nation – including the USA and the U.K. And the war is far from being wrapped up.

According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Estonia had supported Ukraine by 220 million Euros. Per capita, this amounts to one third of its total military budget.

By that time, Latavia had also donated nearly one third (220 million Euros) of its military spending, with 13% for Poland, and 11.6% for Slovakia.

The Kiel Institute has also compiled info on aid that had been promised. By mid July, Estonia had filled 98% of the 250 Euros promised. This compares with 96% for the 450 million euros committed by Norway, 88.9% of the 260 million by The Czech Republic, 84.6% of the 80 million by Holland and 82.6% of the 50 million offered by Lithuania.

Following the above line-up are Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Denmark and Australia. At the bottom of the list are New Zealand and Greece. At the time only ten European nations had lived up to their promises. South Korea, Portugal and Croatia had not yet delivered any of their pledges.

The state with the Europe’s leading economy, Germany, had promised 675 million Euros in support of Ukraine but fulfilled its stated obligations by only 3.9%, by 269 million Euros. Within Europe the largest military donation has been Polish, with 100% of its 1.8 million Euros delivered.

(Read more: Estonian Life No. 31 2022 paber- and PDF/digi)

Laas Leivat, Toronto


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