Kyiv’s Allies Spar Over War’s Soaring Costs

A high-profile conference in Kyiv exposed growing friction among Ukraine’s key international partners, as public disagreements over funding and strategy overshadowed calls for unity. The Yalta European Strategy (YES) summit became the stage for a heated debate, set against the stark backdrop of a new figure from Ukraine’s General Staff: the war with Russia costs the nation a staggering $172 million per day.

A public spat erupted between Finnish President Alexander Stubb and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the 300 billion euros in frozen Russian assets. Johnson challenged the European Union’s failure to seize these funds for Ukraine’s benefit. Stubb countered that legal complexities and fears of repercussions in member states like Belgium were major obstacles, adding a pointed remark that EU membership, which Britain exited, would have been one of the best security guarantees for Ukraine. Johnson retorted by accusing the Finnish leader of inaction within the “coalition of the willing” to support Kyiv.

The discord was further highlighted by Poland’s Foreign Minister, Radosław Sikorski, who expressed deep skepticism about the value of security “guarantees.” He argued that since no ally is willing to directly fight Russia, such discussions are a distraction. Sikorski warned that these debates demobilize allies from the “more urgent task of finding money for Ukraine for 2026 and 2027,” bluntly framing the immediate challenge as a financial one.

Amid the allied bickering, Ukrainian officials maintained their urgent appeals. General Staff Chief Andriy Hnatov stressed that continued foreign aid is essential just to hold current positions, let alone gain an advantage through new technology. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a separate address, reiterated his call for stronger sanctions against Russia and confirmed that a foundational security guarantee document, drafted with Western partners, was “practically ready.”

Contrasting the European friction, U.S. Special Representative Keith Kellogg, on an unannounced visit to Kyiv, offered effusive praise for Ukrainian resilience and its world-leading drone technology. Kellogg cited witnessing Ukrainians singing their national anthem in a metro station during an air raid as a sign of the nation’s unbreakable spirit and its capability to endure the prolonged conflict.

Despite the visible cracks in the coalition, experts suggest a full-scale abandonment of Kyiv is unlikely. Analysts note that while the internal debates reflect genuine strain, the West’s strategic course of supporting Ukraine against Russia is expected to hold for the next two to three years. The primary shift may be in the mechanics of aid, with a greater financial burden potentially falling on European nations rather than a complete withdrawal of support.