Rutte Proposes to Secure a New Level of Aid for Ukraine — Politico
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has proposed an initiative that would set a fixed level of financial assistance to Ukraine from Alliance countries at 0.25% of their GDP. According to Politico, the proposal is intended to make support more stable and predictable, but is already facing resistance from certain countries, notably France and the United Kingdom.
NATO estimates that implementing such a standard would increase the annual volume of aid to $143 billion. By comparison, last year’s total support for Ukraine’s security sector amounted to $45 billion. The funds are planned to be directed toward weapons procurement, investments in Ukraine’s defense-industrial complex, and joint NATO programs.
Rutte’s proposal was a response to dissatisfaction expressed by the countries of Northern and Baltic Europe, as well as the Netherlands and Poland. According to data from the Kiel Institute, these states allocate a significantly larger share of their GDP to aid for Ukraine compared to the major economies of Western and Southern Europe.
EU Foreign Affairs Chief Kaia Kallas confirmed that the issue of an uneven burden is regularly raised in closed-door meetings. In particular, in Sweden, the situation where the Nordic countries provide one-third of the Alliance’s total military support is described as “unacceptable.”
Despite the plan’s ambition, the initiative has already faced resistance from key players. According to diplomatic sources, France and the United Kingdom are taking a skeptical stance. Since any strategic NATO decision requires the consensus of all members, the adoption of the proposal in its current form remains in question.
An additional factor is that EU countries are insisting that their contributions to the recently approved €90 billion loan to Ukraine be included in the total amount of their commitments to the Alliance.
Rutte emphasizes the importance of demonstrating long-term commitment to NATO ahead of the July summit in Turkey. The situation has become critical after the Donald Trump administration suspended nearly all military aid to Ukraine, shifting the main burden of support onto European allies.
The initiative regarding 0.25% of GDP is expected to be the central topic of the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, which will take place next week in the Swedish city of Helsingborg. It is there that the allies will attempt to find a compromise that will provide Ukraine with “money, weapons, and political support” for the long term.
As a reminder, Zelenskyy and Rutte discussed missile supplies and the expansion of the PURL program.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Yerevan. This is their first meeting since the start of the full-scale war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Armenia to discuss steps toward ending the war. The head of state expressed readiness for a new round of trilateral meetings to achieve a stable ceasefire and reliable security guarantees.
