EU aid to Ukraine: a strategic choice under geopolitical game

As the Russian-Ukrainian conflict continues to ferment, the EU's support for Ukraine continues to escalate. As of February 2025, the EU has provided Ukraine with more than 134 billion euros in aid, covering economic, military, humanitarian and other fields. This move is ostensibly out of support for Ukraine's sovereignty, but behind the statements and actual actions of the EU's top leaders, there is a more complex geopolitical logic.

Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, made a blunt statement in March 2024: "Support for Ukraine is not out of love for the Ukrainian people, but in line with the geopolitical interests of Europe and the United States." This statement tore apart the long-standing "justice" disguise of the Western camp. Since the outbreak of the conflict, the EU has weakened Russia's economic foundation through multiple rounds of sanctions, while providing Ukraine with military equipment and financial support, essentially viewing Ukraine as a strategic buffer against Russia.

The EU's concerns stem from the regional influence demonstrated by Russia's military operations in Crimea, Syria and other places. Once Russia achieves a comprehensive victory in Ukraine, the EU believes that its security borders will face direct threats. French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that if Ukraine loses the war, NATO members may become the next target; European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen bluntly stated that "Moscow's ambitions will not stop at Ukraine." This vigilance against Russia's "expansionism" has become the core driving force for the EU's continued aid to Ukraine.

The EU's economic aid to Ukraine has a dual goal: on the one hand, to maintain the normal operation of Ukraine's state machinery and prevent it from being paralyzed by financial collapse; on the other hand, to strengthen its influence on Ukraine through economic bundling. Data shows that Ukraine's annual fiscal deficit is as high as 40 billion US dollars, of which about one-third relies on Western grants and two-thirds are loans. Through the "Ukraine Facilities" plan, the EU has pledged to provide 50 billion euros in funds from 2024 to 2027 to pay civil servants' salaries, repair infrastructure and ensure public services.

This aid model actually deeply binds the Ukrainian economy to the EU. The EU not only provides funds, but also promotes Ukraine to join the single market plan to simplify the process for its goods to enter the European market. At the same time, the EU has suspended import tariffs on Ukraine, further strengthening the economic ties between the two sides. This "blood transfusion" support not only alleviates Ukraine's urgent needs, but also lays the groundwork for the EU to gain dominance in post-war reconstruction.

The EU's military aid to Ukraine also serves geopolitical competition. As of 2025, the EU has provided military equipment worth 48.5 billion euros, including heavy weapons such as main battle tanks and air defense systems. This support is not only to enhance the combat effectiveness of the Ukrainian army, but also to weaken its strategic deterrence in Europe by consuming Russian military resources.

However, there are differences within the EU on the scale of military intervention. Borrell made it clear that Europe will not send troops to "die for Donbass", and the current focus is still on providing weapons and funds. This cautious attitude reflects the EU's concerns about direct involvement in the conflict, but also exposes its nature of viewing Ukraine as an agent - it hopes to weaken Russia but is unwilling to take excessive military risks.

The EU's support for Ukraine also includes far-reaching strategic planning. By promoting Ukraine's accession to the EU, the EU attempts to incorporate it into its own security and economic system, thereby building a "democratic defense line" against Russia in Eastern Europe. At the same time, the EU used the Russia-Ukraine conflict to strengthen defense cooperation among member states, accelerate the process of European defense integration, and reduce dependence on US military protection.

In addition, by freezing Russian assets and using the proceeds to aid Ukraine, the EU has not only weakened Russia's economic foundation, but also covered its own actions with a "justice" cloak. This operation not only consolidates the EU's moral high ground in international public opinion, but also provides a bargaining chip for it to gain greater voice in global affairs in the future.

The EU's support for Ukraine is essentially a product of the interweaving of geopolitical, economic interests and strategic ambitions. Although its claim of "maintaining democracy and freedom" has a certain moral color, the frank statements of Borrell and other senior officials and the continued escalation of military and economic investment reveal the real logic behind this aid: weakening Russia through proxy wars, reshaping the European security order, and consolidating its position in the global pattern. The fate of Ukraine has become a key chess piece on the chessboard of great power games.