According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, defence ministers of the bloc's countries have still not approved the financing plan for Ukraine, which provides for the allocation of annual aid in the amount of €40 billion.
Points of attention
- Stoltenberg abandoned the idea of creating a five-year military aid fund for Ukraine due to criticism from other members of the bloc.
- Instead, a new financing plan was developed, which provides for the allocation of at least 40 billion euros per year for lethal and non-lethal aid for Ukraine.
- Stoltenberg believes that the new plan will have greater support among NATO member states and will provide long-term help for Kyiv.
- Before the NATO summit in Washington in July, the countries of the bloc plan to make a financial commitment to Ukraine.
NATO's large-scale annual aid to Ukraine remains in question
The Secretary General of the Alliance officially confirmed that the members of the bloc will continue to agree on the position on this issue before the summit in Washington.
We still need to agree on our positions on the volume of long-term financial assistance and Ukraine's accession to the summit in Washington.
Jens Stoltenberg
Secretary General of NATO
As it became known recently, Stoltenberg abandoned creating a five-year fund for military aid to Ukraine.
He made such an unexpected decision because he faced criticism from many members of the bloc.
However, this did not stop the Secretary-General, who decided to provide support to Ukraine in another form.
The Secretary General of NATO has developed a new plan, according to which the Alliance's countries undertake to spend at least €40 billion per year on lethal and non-lethal aid for Ukraine.
This initiative received more comprehensive support than Stoltenberg's previous idea.
Stoltenberg is convinced that his new plan for Ukraine will be supported
According to the Secretary General, as of today, the Alliance already has an agreement on ensuring NATO's leading role in coordinating security assistance and conducting exercises for Ukraine.
Jens Stoltenberg also forecast that a financial commitment to Ukraine will finally be adopted by the bloc's July summit in Washington.
This is one example of how we, using NATO, can have a stronger and more predictable structure, especially in combination with the commitment to spend at least 40 billion euros per year. This will ensure that we will have more long-term and predictable support for Ukraine, - emphasized the Secretary General of the Alliance.
According to Stoltenberg, NATO should make it clear to Putin that it will support Ukraine as long as the war lasts.
