2024-07-05 22:04:39
Stoltenberg told a news conference that the allies had agreed to maintain this financial pledge next year as a “minimum baseline” to meet Ukraine’s needs as it defends itself against a Russian invasion.
NATO leaders will meet in Washington next week to celebrate the alliance’s 75th anniversary, and they are expected to show strong support for Ukraine at the summit. But the promise of €40 billion in military aid is not the long-term financial commitment that Stoltenberg wanted.
The NATO Secretary General wanted the NATO countries to agree on a plan for long-term support to Ukraine at the summit in Washington, estimating it at 40 billion euros a year. The burden would be shared among countries based on their gross domestic product (GDP), with the US providing 50% of the aid.
Stoltenberg wanted to strengthen NATO’s support for Ukraine in the event that Donald Trump, who has repeatedly expressed skepticism about NATO, returns to the post of US president in January 2025.
Stoltenberg announced that NATO will launch a new support project for Ukraine called NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU).
NATO will take over the coordination and provision of military assistance to Ukraine, as well as the training of the Ukrainian armed forces, Stoltenberg said, stressing that this does not mean NATO’s involvement in the war.
2024-07-05 22:04:39