Ukraine's European partners have frequently been first to call Russian President Vladimir Putin's bluff, acting before the US to take bolder steps to support Kyiv even in the face of Russian threats. European countries tend to move forward regardless and do so first, with the US only later giving Ukraine the same tools and opportunities.
George Barros, a Russia analyst at the US-based Institute for the Study of War think tank, told BI that Ukraine's European partners are typically the first to do what the US says it won't do, allowing Ukraine to then 'do the thing that Washington was terrified of doing.' If Ukraine succeeds and Russia doesn't retaliate, the US then realizes that 'this is actually something that can be done.'
European countries have given more financial support to Ukraine than the US, with many European nations contributing a larger proportion of their GDP. President Joe Biden acknowledged that 'Europe has spent more money in taking on Russia.'
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