Ukraine's partners from NATO member states are considering options for protecting military and other aid to Kyiv in the event that Republican Donald Trump wins the United States presidential elections.
Points of attention
- NATO partners are considering measures to protect military aid to Ukraine in the event of Donald Trump's victory in the US elections.
- Trump can threaten aid to Ukraine and even force it to surrender, which creates the need to increase the security of arms supplies.
- Coordination of arms supplies to Ukraine is becoming more mandatory and institutionalized within NATO.
- Analysts point to the need to protect military aid to Ukraine from possible Trump attacks and the importance of the alliance's collective decision.
- In the event of the termination of aid to Ukraine, the American command in Wiesbaden may be replaced by French, German or British military.
How Trump can threaten NATO aid to Ukraine
Journalists and analysts of the publication note that Trump has repeatedly stated the alleged possibility of ending the criminal war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine "within 24 hours."
In particular, Western partners fear that Trump will begin to force Ukraine to surrender while Russia will retain control over the occupied Ukrainian territories, including Crimea.
At the same time, Trump can threaten Ukraine with a complete termination of military aid.
According to military expert Gustav Gressel from the Berlin-based think tank "European Council on Foreign Relations", the US-led NATO command in Wiesbaden has been coordinating arms deliveries to Ukraine since November 2022.
On June 14, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that the Alliance would open a headquarters for the international coordination of arms supplies to Ukraine.
Until now, NATO member states and industry have voluntarily informed the US-led command about supplies. Now it will become more mandatory and institutionalized within NATO, Gressel notes.
How NATO can protect military aid to Ukraine from Trump
The analyst stressed that military aid to Ukraine should be protected from Trump's attempts to end it.
It can shut down the American command at any moment with one stroke of the pen. One decree — and it's gone. But to close the NATO command, you need a decision from the alliance, and you won't get it that easily, Gressel emphasises.
According to the NATO representative, if Trump stops aid to Ukraine, the American command in Wiesbaden will be replaced by the French, German or British military and will continue to operate.
