Luxembourg's Aid to Ukraine Explained

Luxembourg provides development cooperation across the world in four ways: (a) bilateral cooperation, (b) multilateral cooperation, (c) NGOs, and (d) Humanitarian and Food action.

In total, Luxembourg's financial contribution to Ukraine has been in excess of €550 million, including €259m in military aid, €196m for displaced persons, €96.2 million for humanitarian aid and food action, as well as another €600k. 

During the visit of Ministers Bettel and Backes to Kyiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday 30 April 2025, they announced a further €10 million for the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, and another €1 million to the Olena Zelenska Foundation.

While the first article focuses on the bilateral meetings held during this visit, the second article on the visit to Okhmatdyt Hospital, the scene of a recent missile attack at which international volunteers were working, and the Wall of Remembrance, this third article looks in-depth into Luxembourg's overall financial contribution to Ukraine.

Luxembourg's financial commitment to Ukraine for equipment ordered has been as follows:

- 2022: €75 million 
- 2023: €96 million
- 2024: €86 million
- 2025: €80 million (minimum reserved for military support). 

The total amount for 2022-2024 is €259 million, representing 16% of Luxembourg's defence budget in 2022 and 2023; in 2024, a distinct budget line for Ukraine was introduced. 

€259m in Military Aid

Between 2022-2025, Luxembourg has provided Ukraine with a range of weapons (including 610 machine guns, 4,000 assault rifles, 80 heavy machine guns and 144 NLAW anti-tank missiles), ammunition (over 18 million rounds), protective equipment (including 22 thousand gas masks, 5,000 body armour vests and 5,650 ballistic helmets), night vision equipment (over 1,000 sets of night vision goggles and 44 thermal cameras), 39 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and various other equipment (42 armoured vehicles, 34 armoured ambulances, 7 military Wrangler Jeeps, 10 Toyota Landcruiser 4x4s, and another 65 armoured ambulances within the BENELUX framework, amongst many others). 

Contributions to International Initiatives

Between 2022-2024, Luxembourg has provided:
- €1.8m to EDA for the common procurement of 155mm rounds
- €12.4m to the NATO CAP Ukraine
- €6.5m to the airforce coalition
- €17.5m to the IT coalition
- €50k to the "Every Casulaty counts / Ukraine Victims Memorial" initiative
- €5m to the Artillery coalition
- €3.4m to the Drone coalition

€196m Help for Displaced Persons

Luxembourg has spent €163.35 million in 2022, 2023 and 2024 to welcoming Ukrainian refugees in Luxembourg, whereupon a total of 4,123 people have been granted temporary protection, 1,480 people are housed in 12 ONA structures, 1,296 pupils have been taught in Luxembourgish schools (€29 million), €3.67 million has been spent on medical aid and €182k went to the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). 

€96.2m in Humanitarian Support and Food Action

Luxembourg has paid:
- €14.4m in financial contributions to international organisations including the OCHA, UNHCR, PAM, UNICEF, CICR, FICR, Red Cross, LUkraine and Global Alliance. 
- at least €6.4m in humanitarian support, including medical material donations, generators, ambulances, buses, anti-mining equipment
- €75.2m recovery
- €56m over five years to the <programme de soutien au redressement du raion de Kryvyi Rih> in the south-east of the country
- €8m to the energy sector
- €15m since February 2022 to demining
- and various other projects including the Ukraine Community Recovery Fund, LHoFT and UNICEF.

Luxembourg has also spent €300k in sectoral support, including €105k to the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation as grants to Ukrainian artists, €110k to Ukrainian film projects, €37k to to the IEAP, study grants for three Ukrainian students per year, support to LuxInnovation for Ukrainian start-ups, as well as access to cybersecurity resources. And in political support, Luxembourg has spent €309k for multilateral cooperation, as well as for initiatives such as the President Zelensky Peace Formula. There are also a number of other initiaves supported by Luxembourg in relation to Ukraine, including the provision of 45 3D scanners. 

Luxembourg has also backed sixteen packets of sanctions against Russia and has frozen €6 billion in Russian assets in Luxembourg, as well as another almost €10k by Clearstream. 

LuxDevelopment Visit

During their visit to Kyiv in Ukraine on Wednesday 30 April 2025, Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, and the Minister of Defence, Yuriko Backes, visited the Office of the Luxembourg Development Agency in Kyiv.

LuxDevelopment's largest project in Ukraine focuses on recovery of the Kryvyi Rih Rahon region: Deputy PM Bettel and Minister Backes visited their offices, with Georges Ternes, DG Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, addressing the meeting, along with Gennadiy Rusanov. 

Schoolchildren in Kryvyi Rih Rahon received various equipment enabling them to particilate in online education courses; looking ahead, digital learning for around 4,000 children, including those with special needs, and it will also initiate a demining project after establishing a demining hub with the aim to provide a safer environment for around 5,000 schoolchildren and their families; they will also be supporting micro businesses.

Deputy PM Bettel was presented with an award to recognise his solidarity with the people of Kryvyi Rih Rahon. 

Minister Bettel said that he was humbled to received such a high distinction, but he received it on behalf of the people of Luxembourg. He talked about Luxembourg donating 1% of its annual state budget to develoipment aid; they decided that this region is suffering a lot a deserves support; however, a ceasefire is what is really needed, and for this, trust is needed. 

The Olena Zelenska Foundation

The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, hosted Ministers Bettel and Backes in her office and talked about the foundation being founded in the aftermath of the 2022 invasion and its aims, and being active in so many ways, including helping 400 schoolchildren, providing 137 fully equipped ambulances, restored and fully equipped (air raid) shelters, and a stadium that had been destroyed. She then showed a short film that presented the foundation in a visual way.

Minister Bettel emphasised the importance of psychological support before Olena Zelenska talked about the foundation's new projects (this part behind closed doors). It was followed by the signing (by Nina Horbachova for the foundation, and Minister Bettel for Luxembourg) of a new €1 million donation for the Olena Zelenska Foundation.