# Does Ethiopia support Russia or Ukraine? The net is essentially zero

Bought less from Ukraine than without the war; below zero by 0.03% of GDP (€40m).

Russia kept €46m (0.04% of GDP) less than without the war. The net is <0.01% of a year's GDP toward Ukraine (likely from 0.10% toward Russia to 0.13% toward Ukraine; essentially zero).

[Open in the map →](https://warbalance.org/#ETH)

Toward Ukraine by

<0.01% of a year's GDP since 2022

essentially zero

likely from 0.10% toward Russia to 0.13% toward Ukraine · €6m · ≈ <0.01%/yr

Bought less from Ukraine than without the war + cut Russia's earnings from trade = <0.01% of GDP toward Ukraine. Mostly less kept by Russia from trade.

Chance toward Russia: 51%; 20% of the other method choices agree.

Support for Ukraine

Bought less from Ukraine than without the war; below zero by

0.03%

€40m

likely <0.01% to 0.13% below zero very likely · 97%

Russia's earnings from trade

Cut Russia's earnings from trade by

0.04%

€46m

likely from <0.01% toward Russia to 0.15% toward Ukraine essentially zero

Russia kept €46m (0.04% of GDP) less than without the war.

- Russia's gain: Russia kept 0.04% of GDP less (€48m; likely from <0.01% toward Russia to 0.16% toward Ukraine)
- Ethiopia's own gain from trade with Russia: Ethiopia kept <0.01% of GDP more from its trade with Russia (€1m; about 0)

The two lines add up to Russia's earnings from trade; their ranges do not.

## Its story in short

- Two different things added The net adds two different things: help given to Ukraine and the change in what Russia kept from trade. Much of what one country stopped buying, Russia sold to others.

## What decides this number

Chance toward Russia: 51%; 20% of the other method choices agree. Near zero, and not certain mostly because of the uncertain size of one part: Ukraine kept less from sales here. Here the size of the net is the finding, not its direction: likely from 0.10% toward Russia to 0.13% toward Ukraine.

## What makes up the number

Bought less from Ukraine than without the war; below zero by 0.03% · €40m

| Ukraine kept less from sales hereC | −0.03% | €40m |
| --- | --- | --- |

Cut Russia's earnings from trade by 0.04% · €46m

| Russia kept less from fuel and goods sold hereC | +0.06% | €79m |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Russia kept more from its oil bought via other countriesDown estimate | −0.02% | €22m |
| Russia kept more from war-time fuel pricesC | −<0.01% | €6m |
| Russia kept more from weapons sold hereD | −<0.01% | €4m |
| Russia kept less from services sold hereC | +<0.01% | €1m |
| Ethiopia kept more from selling to RussiaC | −<0.01% | €1m |
| Ethiopia kept more from services sold to RussiaC | −<0.01% | €1m |

+ toward Ukraine, − toward Russia (in support for Ukraine, − is money it earned back or bought less from Ukraine than without the war). Letters: A reported, B measured estimate, C modelled estimate, D rough indication.

## By year

The year with the largest net amount was 2022: +€21m. The yearly amounts are small against the range of the total, so their side from one year to the next is not a finding.

| Year | Support for Ukraine | Trade: toward Ukraine (+) / toward Russia (−) | Net | Net since 2022 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [2022](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2022/) | −€3m | +€24m | +€21m | +0.02% |
| [2023](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2023/) | −€5m | +€16m | +€11m | +0.03% |
| [2024](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2024/) | −€11m | +€2m | −€9m | +0.02% |
| [2025](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2025/) | −€13m | +€2m | −€11m | +<0.01% |
| [2026](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2026/)\* | −€8m | +€2m | −€5m | +<0.01% |

Each year's amount: + toward Ukraine, − toward Russia. \*2026: to August.

## Support for Ukraine by type

Ethiopia's support for Ukraine, 2022 to August 2026, split by type. The parts add up to the map's figure.

| Military aid | – |
| --- | --- |
| Private donations and purchases | −€40m |
| Support for Ukraine (the map's figure) | −€40m |

Quality of the split: D No military aid on record outside Kiel's tracker; this does not mean that no military aid was given.

[Military aid to Ukraine, every country →](https://warbalance.org/military-aid-to-ukraine-by-country/)

## Trade with Russia before and after

It bought €0.16bn from Russia in 2021 and €12m in 2025 (−92%). It sold €17m to Russia in 2021 and €25m in 2025 (+47%). For Ethiopia: €6m paid above no-war prices, most of it in 2022, 71% of it on gas contracts. These are sales values at each year's prices; the totals count what the seller kept on them.

## Sanctions on Russia

We found no sanctions of Ethiopia's own against Russia (checked 27 October 2026). This says nothing about whether firms there follow other countries' sanctions. Russia's list of “unfriendly” states does not name Ethiopia. Checked 27 October 2026.

[Every country's sanctions on Russia →](https://warbalance.org/countries-with-sanctions-on-russia/#ETH)

## Money flowing back from the war effort

€12m of aid and of Ukraine's purchases was spent in Ethiopia; what its firms kept of it, <€1m, is taken off its support.

## Compared with its neighbours and groups

Its direction is essentially zero, so the map's ranking gives it no number.

### Neighbours by land

| Country | Net, % of GDP |
| --- | --- |
| Ethiopia | +<0.01% · +€6m · essentially zero |
| [Sudan](https://warbalance.org/country/sudan/) | −0.21% · −€94m · too close to call · 54% toward Russia |
| [Kenya](https://warbalance.org/country/kenya/) | −0.31% · −€0.33bn · likely toward Russia · 90% |
| [Eritrea](https://warbalance.org/country/eritrea/) | −0.32% · −€7m · likely toward Russia · 68% |
| [Djibouti](https://warbalance.org/country/djibouti/) | −1.6% · −€59m · likely toward Russia · 89% |

## How the number is backed

21 sources back its parts: 3 official statistics, 2 research reports, 0 press reports and 4 of this project's own estimates, plus 12 method inputs. By size, 0% of its parts are reported or measured (A–B), 83% modelled (C) and 17% rough indications (D).

### Data coverage

- Aid to Ukraine: estimated no record found: 0, with a small upper bound
- Private donations: estimated national totals or a GDP-based estimate
- Services trade with Russia: estimated Eurostat, OECD-WTO and Bank of Russia data
- Refugee hosting: reported no refugees from Ukraine recorded
- Bought from Russia: estimated partly filled: estimated, reported
- Sold to Russia: estimated partner data plus an estimate of goods reaching Russia via third countries
- Bought from Ukraine: estimated partly filled: estimated, mirror, reported
- Sold to Ukraine: estimated partly filled: mirror, reported
- Energy switching cost: estimated modelled per fuel and month
- Company taxes in Russia: estimated allocated by company counts and investment

### Sources, by part

### Russia kept less from fuel and goods sold here C

- official · [UN Comtrade, IMF trade statistics and Eurostat: goods trade with Russia and Ukraine](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS?period=2024&partnerCode=643&flowCode=M&cmdCode=TOTAL&customsCode=C00&motCode=0&partner2Code=0)
- own estimate · [Small purchases from Russia: the no-war middle value moved up by the measured bias of 'held flat' (back-tests on rolling origins 2005-2016, CEPII BACI)](https://github.com/intelligent-cream/war-balance/blob/main/research/2026-10/gaps/cf\_models\_r47-notes.md)

### Ukraine kept less from sales here C

- own estimate · [Purchases from Ukraine against what Ukraine could export: Ukraine's exports by product group and partner (UN Comtrade, State Customs Service of Ukraine), ECB exchange rates](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS)

### Russia kept more from its oil bought via other countries D

- own estimate · [Laundered oil: fuel made from Russian crude, assigned to the final buyer (trading hubs pass on what they resell), valued at the Russian crude inside it](https://energyandcleanair.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CREA\_PCC\_Refined-Oil-Analysis\_19.02.2024\_Rev\_15.04.2024.pdf)

### Russia kept more from war-time fuel prices C

- own estimate · [War-time price windfall on Russian fuel: payments minus the same volume at the prices a no-war market expected (pre-invasion forecasts and futures: IMF, World Bank, EIA, ECB, ICE)](https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/weo/2022/update/january/english/text.pdf)
- research · [Tanker shipping, insurance and ship sales serving Russian oil and LNG exports: CREA, KSE Institute, S&P Global, Windward, press reports](https://sanctions.kse.ua/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ROT\_July-2026.pdf)

### Russia kept more from weapons sold here D

- research · [Russian arms exports by buyer: Rosoboronexport and FSVTS statements, SIPRI fact sheets, contract reporting (S-400, Su-35, Su-57)](https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2026-03/fs\_2603\_at\_2025.pdf)

- official · [UN Comtrade, IMF trade statistics and Eurostat: goods trade with Russia and Ukraine](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS?period=2024&partnerCode=643&flowCode=M&cmdCode=TOTAL&customsCode=C00&motCode=0&partner2Code=0)
- method input · [Price levels of what was traded with Russia and Ukraine (2019-2021 = 1): each buyer's own customs unit values per fuel and for other goods, benchmark indices (CREA, World Bank, Eurostat), gas contract prices; oil at the Russian port (FOB), outliers screened](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS?period=2023&partnerCode=643&cmdCode=TOTAL&flowCode=M)
- method input · [Expected trade without the war: models back-tested on 2008, 2013 and 2016 against holding 2021 flat (UN Comtrade, World Bank WDI and commodity prices, UN voting)](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS?period=2021&partnerCode=643&flowCode=X&cmdCode=TOTAL)
- method input · [Ranges of the 2022-2026 total measured on the back-tests' cumulative errors; own bands tested on their own history for Mongolia, Yemen, Tajikistan, Moldova, Türkiye, Kenya, Peru and French Polynesia](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS?reporterCode=498&period=2019&flowCode=M&partnerCode=643&cmdCode=99,2711,27,31,TOTAL)
- method input · [Russia's net gain per euro of exports (taxes plus profit above a normal return): Russian Finance Ministry, company reports, IEA, Rosstat](https://minfin.gov.ru/ru/statistics/fedbud/oil)
- own estimate · [Small purchases from Russia: the no-war middle value moved up by the measured bias of 'held flat' (back-tests on rolling origins 2005-2016, CEPII BACI)](https://github.com/intelligent-cream/war-balance/blob/main/research/2026-10/gaps/cf\_models\_r47-notes.md)
- method input · [net-gain shares from official sector profitability (Russia: FNS/Rosstat by OKVED-2 activity; Ukraine: Derzhstat by KVED division), export duties collected and company results](https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons\_doc\_LAW\_55729/df3929054ebc0ff6d666accad51e6fedca8c75fe/)
- method input · [refugee hosting budgets, remittance mirror shares, national donation totals, Hong Kong gold 2026 and OECD ITIC freight margins](https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2022/10/international-migration-outlook-2022\_140ace0e/30fe16d2-en.pdf)
- method input · [Expected trade with Ukraine without the war: rolling back-tests on Ukraine's own history and on analogue partners (IMF WEO vintages, IMF DOTS)](https://db.nomics.world/IMF/DOT)
- method input · [Ukraine's net gain per euro of exports (taxes plus profit above a normal return): Ukrstat, company reports, KSE Institute](https://stat.gov.ua/sites/default/files/2026-09/yearbook\_24e.pdf)
- own estimate · [Purchases from Ukraine against what Ukraine could export: Ukraine's exports by product group and partner (UN Comtrade, State Customs Service of Ukraine), ECB exchange rates](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS)
- own estimate · [Laundered oil: fuel made from Russian crude, assigned to the final buyer (trading hubs pass on what they resell), valued at the Russian crude inside it](https://energyandcleanair.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CREA\_PCC\_Refined-Oil-Analysis\_19.02.2024\_Rev\_15.04.2024.pdf)
- own estimate · [War-time price windfall on Russian fuel: payments minus the same volume at the prices a no-war market expected (pre-invasion forecasts and futures: IMF, World Bank, EIA, ECB, ICE)](https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/weo/2022/update/january/english/text.pdf)
- research · [Tanker shipping, insurance and ship sales serving Russian oil and LNG exports: CREA, KSE Institute, S&P Global, Windward, press reports](https://sanctions.kse.ua/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ROT\_July-2026.pdf)
- research · [Russian arms exports by buyer: Rosoboronexport and FSVTS statements, SIPRI fact sheets, contract reporting (S-400, Su-35, Su-57)](https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2026-03/fs\_2603\_at\_2025.pdf)
- official · [Services trade with Russia (tourism, transport, business services): Eurostat, OECD-WTO BaTiS, Bank of Russia](https://sdmx.oecd.org/public/rest/data/OECD.SDD.TPS,DSD\_BATIS@DF\_BATIS,1.0/.RUS...S...?startPeriod=2010&endPeriod=2021)
- official · [GDP gaps (UNSD, UN WPP, CEPAL), Russia's import gap by country of origin, Hong Kong gold composition](https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Excel%20Files/1\_Indicator%20%28Standard%29/EXCEL\_FILES/1\_General/WPP2024\_GEN\_F01\_DEMOGRAPHIC\_INDICATORS\_COMPACT.xlsx)
- method input · [Checks against national and trade statistics: UAE gold and fuel, undisclosed aid, Russia's import-statistics gap, trend windows, border-priced imports](https://www.swissaid.ch/en/media/united-arab-emirates-more-than-ever-a-hub-for-conflict-gold/)
- method input · [Genuinely extra share of money earned: production ramp-ups and trade-redirection studies; value kept in the economy (the earlier rule): OECD Trade in Value Added (TiVA, 2025 edition)](https://sdmx.oecd.org/sti-public/rest/data/OECD.STI.PIE,DSD\_TIVA\_MAINSH@DF\_MAINSH,1.1/EXGR\_DVA..BTE+C+C19+C25+C26+C28+C302T309+GTN+H50+I.W.PT\_EXGR.A?startPeriod=2018&format=csv)
- method input · [Sellers' net gain per euro of sales (taxes on production plus profit above a normal return of 5% a year above inflation after company tax, plus the country's risk premium): OECD STAN database, 2025 edition, by country and industry; Damodaran country risk premiums](https://sdmx.oecd.org/public/rest/data/OECD.STI.PIE,DSD\_STAN@DF\_STAN\_2025,1.0/A..C+C19+C25+C252+C26+C28+C30+C303+C304+H50+I+GTN+K+K65+\_T.P1+D29X39+B2A3N+B2A3G+P51C+D1.V.XDC?startPeriod=2017&endPeriod=2024&format=csv)
- method input · [money-rule and cost-view constants from data: firm-level redirection studies, Kiel item coding of EU-level military aid, lenders' funding costs, EU, UK and Canadian estimates of duties waived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230606033537/https://repec.iza.org/dp16146.pdf)

## Questions

### Why is Ethiopia's net so small?

Its net is essentially zero: +<0.01% of one year's GDP (likely from 0.10% toward Russia to 0.13% toward Ukraine). Near zero, and not certain mostly because of the uncertain size of one part: Ukraine kept less from sales here.

### Is Ethiopia helping Russia?

In money terms the net is +<0.01% of one year's GDP (likely from 0.10% toward Russia to 0.13% toward Ukraine; essentially zero). Chance toward Russia: 51%; 20% of the other method choices agree. Russia kept €46m (0.04% of GDP) less than without the war. The number counts money: weapons at their money value; votes, diplomacy and intent are not in it.

### How does Ethiopia compare with its neighbours?

The net as a share of one year's GDP: Ethiopia +<0.01%, Sudan −0.21%, Kenya −0.31%, Eritrea −0.32%, Djibouti −1.6%.

### Where do the numbers for Ethiopia come from?

21 sources back its parts, 3 of them official statistics. By part: Russia kept less from fuel and goods sold here: [UN Comtrade, IMF trade statistics and Eurostat: goods trade with Russia and Ukraine](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS?period=2024&partnerCode=643&flowCode=M&cmdCode=TOTAL&customsCode=C00&motCode=0&partner2Code=0); Ukraine kept less from sales here: [UN Comtrade, IMF trade statistics and Eurostat: goods trade with Russia and Ukraine](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS?period=2024&partnerCode=643&flowCode=M&cmdCode=TOTAL&customsCode=C00&motCode=0&partner2Code=0); Russia kept more from its oil bought via other countries: [Laundered oil: fuel made from Russian crude, assigned to the final buyer (trading hubs pass on what they resell), valued at the Russian crude inside it](https://energyandcleanair.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CREA\_PCC\_Refined-Oil-Analysis\_19.02.2024\_Rev\_15.04.2024.pdf). The map's panel lists every one, with its documents.

### Does Ethiopia have sanctions on Russia?

We found no sanctions of Ethiopia's own against Russia (checked 27 October 2026). This says nothing about whether firms there follow other countries' sanctions. Russia's list of “unfriendly” states does not name Ethiopia.

## Nearby in the ranking

Essentially zero

- [Lesotho](https://warbalance.org/country/lesotho/) · +0.01% · Essentially zero · +<€1m · 80%
- [Grenada](https://warbalance.org/country/grenada/) · +<0.01% · Essentially zero · +<€1m · 68%
- [French Polynesia](https://warbalance.org/country/french-polynesia/) · +<0.01% · Essentially zero · +<€1m · 95%
- Ethiopia+<0.01% · Essentially zero · +€6m · 51%
- [Andorra](https://warbalance.org/country/andorra/) · +<0.01% · Essentially zero · +<€1m · 53%
- [Kuwait](https://warbalance.org/country/kuwait/) · +<0.01% · Essentially zero · +€1m · 51%
- [Israel](https://warbalance.org/country/israel/) · +<0.01% · Essentially zero · +€1m · 50%

## More about Ethiopia

### Groups

- [BRICS](https://warbalance.org/group/brics/)

### Its parts, ranked against other countries

- [Weapons bought from Russia](https://warbalance.org/buyers-of-russian-weapons/)

### Every country, by year

- [2022](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2022/)
- [2023](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2023/)
- [2024](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2024/)
- [2025](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2025/)
- [2026](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2026/)
- [Support for Ukraine by country](https://warbalance.org/support-for-ukraine/)
- [All topics](https://warbalance.org/topics/)

21 sources in all; the map's panel lists every one, with its documents. [Open in the map](https://warbalance.org/#ETH) · [How this is measured](https://warbalance.org/how-it-works/)

[Українська](https://warbalance.org/uk/country/ethiopia/)[Deutsch](https://warbalance.org/de/country/ethiopia/)[Français](https://warbalance.org/fr/country/ethiopia/)[Polski](https://warbalance.org/pl/country/ethiopia/)[Nederlands](https://warbalance.org/nl/country/ethiopia/)[Español](https://warbalance.org/es/country/ethiopia/)

Cite as: War Balance, figures to August 2026, https://warbalance.org/country/ethiopia/