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Russia outspends Ukraine's US lobbying 7 times in 2024, data shows

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Russia outspends Ukraine's US lobbying 7 times in 2024, data shows
Ukraine supporters fly a Ukrainian flag outside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. as the Senate convenes on Feb. 11, 2024. (Roberto Schmidt / Getty Images)

Ukraine spent $62,500 on lobbying efforts in the U.S. in 2024, seven times less than Russia's $461,200, according to data published by the Ukrainian analytics platform Opendatabot on April 9.

The platform noted a sharp decline in Ukraine's lobbying expenditures, which dropped sixfold compared to 2023. Opendatabot highlighted that several countries, including Poland and Russia, have also slashed their U.S. lobbying budgets in 2024.

Poland spent $245,200 — five times less than the year before — and Russia reduced its lobbying costs eighteenfold but still spent 7.4 times more than Ukraine.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has spent over $5.4 million to advocate for continued U.S. military and financial support, while Russia invested $11.8 million over the same period — more than double.

Despite the cuts, Ukrainian officials and advocacy groups have remained active in engaging U.S. lawmakers, think tanks, and the media to secure ongoing aid.

In March, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law regulating the lobbying market in Ukraine for the first time, defining the practice and setting formal procedures for lobbying activities.

The move is part of broader transparency reforms tied to Ukraine's European integration efforts.

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Tim Zadorozhnyy

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Tim Zadorozhnyy is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent covering foreign policy, U.S.-Ukraine relations, and political developments across Europe and Russia. He studied International Relations and European Studies at Lazarski University and Coventry University. Tim began his journalism career in Odesa in 2022 as a reporter for a local television channel. He later spent a year and a half at the Belarusian independent media outlet NEXTA, first as a news anchor and later as a managing editor. He is fluent in English, Ukrainian, and Russian.

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