Enhancing the Value of U.S. Military Aid in Ukraine and Beyond: Strengthening Security Force Cooperation
The United States, along with its allies, is working diligently to support Ukraine's spring offensive in Europe. The Security Assistance Group-Ukraine (SAG-U) and the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine (JMTG-U) are at the forefront of these efforts, with their activities rooted in long-term relationship building.
The U.S. Congress has introduced the bipartisan Supporting Ukraine Act of 2025 to bolster Ukraine's defense capability. This legislation aims to increase domestic U.S. defense production to equip Ukraine, support American readiness, and establish mechanisms to incorporate battlefield lessons from Ukraine to improve U.S. defense technologies. Additionally, the State Department has approved a $99.5 million foreign military sale to Ukraine for transportation and consolidation services, which aids logistical and program support essential for ongoing security force assistance (SFA).
However, a significant challenge arises from a strategic shift where the United States is expected to reduce its direct funding of Ukraine’s military efforts. European NATO allies and Canada are expected to assume greater financial responsibility for supplying Ukraine, including funding weapons procurement and defense industrial base investments. This shift is supported by the establishment of the new Bank for Defense, Security, and Resilience (DSRB), an international institution intended to finance defense spending among NATO allies and Ukraine.
The current U.S. SFA efforts to Ukraine are organized around legislative support, military aid financing, logistical support, and international cooperation. However, challenges related to shifting funding responsibilities and coordination among allies persist. The Pentagon is being encouraged to evaluate the ability of specific units and staffs to train foreign forces to address these challenges.
The effort to train, advise, assist, and equip (TAAE) Ukraine has resulted in remarkable battlefield victories to reclaim territories in southern and eastern Ukraine. Conventional army units in Germany, not SFAB advisors, are often training Ukrainian soldiers due to proximity. JMTG-U, formed in 2015, has been instrumental in Ukraine's battlefield successes, providing critical training on artillery systems and targeting processes that have inflicted a significant toll on the Russian military.
SAG-U, created in November 2022, was established to address the fragmented approach to Ukrainian SFA and streamline U.S. efforts alongside those of NATO allies. However, there is a lack of consistency among advisors in the way they advise, train, and teach Ukrainian troops. To address this, there are concerns about the need for rapid individual SFA reforms to improve outcomes.
The Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative allows the president to fund the direct industry purchase of armaments, such as the thirty-one Abrams main battle tanks recently announced to be sent to Ukraine. This is a significant increase from the $2.8 billion in military aid from Washington between 2014 and early 2022.
Despite the challenges, many European Union institutions and countries provided over $51 billion of military, humanitarian, and financial assistance in 2022. This collective effort underscores the commitment of the West to support Ukraine in its ongoing struggle against Russian occupying forces.
However, concerns about escalation due to the assistance provided to Ukraine persist, as Russia is a nuclear-armed power acting within its core sphere of interest. It is argued that greater coordination of assistance would signal greater Western strength and resolve and can be more carefully managed to reduce chances of inadvertent escalation.
In summary, the SFA to Ukraine is a layered approach combining U.S. domestic legislative action, bilateral logistics support, and evolving multinational funding models, all navigating the political and operational complexities of sustaining long-term security assistance to Ukraine.
- The Supporting Ukraine Act of 2025 aims to increase U.S. defense production to equip Ukraine and improve domestic defense technologies.
- The State Department has approved a significant amount for transportation and consolidation services, essential for ongoing security force assistance (SFA) in Ukraine.
- European NATO allies and Canada are expected to assume greater financial responsibility for supplying Ukraine, including funding weapons procurement and defense industrial base investments.
- The Pentagon is being encouraged to evaluate the ability of specific units and staffs to train foreign forces to address challenges in SFA.
- Conventional army units in Germany are often training Ukrainian soldiers due to proximity, while JMTG-U has been instrumental in Ukraine's battlefield successes.
- SAG-U, established to streamline SFA efforts, is facing a lack of consistency among advisors in training Ukrainian troops, sparking concerns about the need for rapid individual SFA reforms.
- The Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative allows the president to fund the direct industry purchase of armaments, such as the thirty-one Abrams main battle tanks recently announced to be sent to Ukraine.
- Concerns about escalation due to assistance provided to Ukraine persist, as Russia is a nuclear-armed power acting within its core sphere of interest. Greater coordination of assistance may signal greater Western strength and help manage the risks of inadvertent escalation.
