NATO Rejects $100 Billion Military Aid Fund for Ukraine
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has rejected the idea of creating a five-year, $100 billion military aid fund for Ukraine due to resistance from some Alliance members. Instead, he suggests that countries continue to make their current contributions. This was reported by Bloomberg, citing sources.
New Proposal for NATO Member Countries
According to a new proposal that may receive support from defense ministers of NATO member countries during a meeting in Brussels next week, Alliance members are committed to spending at least €40 billion annually on lethal and non-lethal aid for Ukraine.
Sources indicate that this would correspond to average annual contributions since the Russian invasion in 2022.
Transparency and Accountability
NATO will set donation targets for each country based on a percentage of its gross domestic product and will likely publish the results in an annual report. The goal is to provide greater transparency regarding the aid provided by NATO members to Ukraine and to press those who do not fulfill their commitments, the sources claim. Approximately half of the aid will be allocated by the US, with the rest distributed among the 31 NATO member countries.
Support and Opposition
While this plan does not involve new financial resources, NATO hopes that it will provide greater predictability for Ukraine regarding the level of support in the coming years. According to sources, this proposal is widely supported by almost all NATO members, although Hungary remains the main opponent. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban demands the possibility to opt out of any deep support for Ukraine.
