NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is abandoning plans to create a five-year military aid fund for Ukraine after facing resistance from Alliance members, and instead asks countries to keep their current contributions, citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports. UNN
Details
Under the new proposal, which could win the support of NATO defense ministers when they meet in Brussels next week, the allies commit to spending at least 40 billion euros (доларів 43 billion) a year on lethal and non-lethal assistance to Ukraine. According to people who asked not to be named during private discussions, this would correspond to the average annual contribution levels since the Russian invasion in 2022.
"NATO will determine the goals of each country's donations based on a percentage of their gross domestic product, and then probably publish the total amounts in an annual report," the newspaper writes.
The goal, as noted, will be to provide greater transparency about what the Allies give Ukraine, while gently exerting pressure on those members who do not fulfill their obligations, the sources say. The United States will account for about half of the aid, and the rest will be provided by the remaining 31 members of the alliance, the newspaper writes.
Earlier, Stoltenberg unveiled a plan to pool союзників 100 billion in allied contributions over five years, but allies questioned its viability due to unwillingness to commit to creating new funds and concerns about misleading Ukraine.
"While the new plan will not require additional funds, NATO hopes that it will provide Kiev with greater predictability regarding the level of support in the coming years. Allies were shocked after the U.S. Congress waited months to approve a new round of aid, and also worried about what Donald Trump's possible re - election in November would mean for Ukraine's funding.
According to people, "this proposal enjoys broad support from almost all allies, although Hungary remains the biggest question mark." Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has asked his country to abandon any deepening of support for Ukraine.
Угорщина працює над "перевизначенням" членства в НАТО - Орбан24.05.24, 12:22
According to sources, Turkey has expressed its own concern about other parts of the package on Ukraine, which should be agreed by leaders in Washington.
NATO, as noted, also offers to assume operational duties of the US-led Contact Group on the defense of Ukraine, which coordinates the supply of weapons to Ukraine by approximately 50 countries. Under the leadership of the Supreme Commander of the NATO Joint Armed Forces, such a move could protect the structure from any political changes that may occur after the US election, the publication points out.
"According to people, Turkey has called for caution so that any coordination of military assistance does not give the impression of greater involvement of allies in the conflict," the newspaper noted.