About our US/Ukraine news
Latest news on US-Ukraine international relations, including breaking updates on financial aid, treaties, trade, and military assistance.
The formal diplomatic relationship between the United States and Ukraine began in December 1991, following Ukraine's declaration of independence from the Soviet Union. Since then, the two countries have engaged in bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors. In the early years of the relationship, the US supported Ukraine's democratic and economic reforms, offering technical assistance and financial aid to promote stability and development. The US also played a role in facilitating Ukraine's denuclearisation following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, ensuring the safe transfer and dismantlement of nuclear weapons on Ukrainian territory in return for security guarantees in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances.
US/Ukraine relations grew closer after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. Since then, the US has primarily provided diplomatic support, economic aid, and military assistance to Ukraine. This level of cooperation intensified further following the full invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022. Since then, the US has condemned Russia's actions and imposed over 2,500 sanctions on Russia. By March 2023, the US had provided more than $75 billion in financial aid, which includes humanitarian, financial, and military support, to Ukraine. While direct military involvement has been avoided, US forces have held joint military exercises and provided training to Ukrainian forces. The overall objective of US involvement is to support Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and right to self-determination.