The U.S. is stepping down from its leadership role in the aid group for Ukraine
The Pentagon plans to transfer leadership of the group coordinating military aid to Ukraine to another NATO country. This refers to the Security Assistance Group for Ukraine (SAG-U), which is based in Wiesbaden, Germany. At the same time, the U.S. is not withdrawing completely from the group’s work—U.S. military personnel will continue to participate in its activities.
Leadership of the SAG-U will gradually be transferred to another NATO member state. The handover process could take up to a year. The SAG-U has played a crucial role in supporting Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The group coordinates the delivery of military equipment to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and is also involved in training Ukrainian military personnel and handling logistics.
The leadership transition is not expected to cause a pause in operations with Ukraine. According to sources speaking to Politico, U.S. European Command will continue to participate in the group’s work through an American deputy.
NATO also assured that support for Ukraine remains a priority. “Support for Ukraine remains a key priority,” a NATO spokesperson stated. The Pentagon explained that SAG-U was established from the outset as a temporary structure. Now the U.S. wants to gradually transfer more responsibility to its European allies. “SAG-U was intended to be temporary from the very beginning. This initiative aims to redistribute the burden within the Alliance to support Ukraine and align U.S. resources with the National Defense Strategy,” the Pentagon stated.
What Will Change for Ukraine
Despite the change in leadership, the group itself will continue to operate. Its tasks remain the same—to help coordinate the supply of weapons and equipment to Ukraine, organize military training, and provide the necessary logistics. At the same time, the leadership change will mean that the U.S. will gradually reduce its role in determining how the Ukrainian military will develop in the future.
According to Politico, the U.S. will no longer single-handedly determine the future structure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. European allies are increasingly taking on this role. This step is part of a broader process of transferring some of NATO’s command functions to European countries.
In February, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to reduce the American presence in some of NATO’s military command structures in Europe. Specifically, the United Kingdom is set to take control of NATO’s Joint Command in Norfolk, U.S. Italy will take command of the Joint Command Center in Naples. Germany and Poland are set to take control of the Joint Command in Brunssum, the Netherlands.
Who Will Lead SAG-U
The current head of SAG-U, U.S. Army Lieutenant General Curtis Bazzard, who has led the group since 2024, will step down on Monday. His responsibilities will be transferred to Lieutenant General Guillaume Borper. He will conclude the U.S. mission and oversee the subsequent transition. SAG-U itself was established during the NATO summit in Washington in July 2024. From the outset, it was anticipated that Europe would eventually assume a leadership role within this structure.
Therefore, this change does not mean the end of the group’s work or that NATO is withdrawing its support for Ukraine. It primarily involves a gradual transfer of leadership from the U.S. to its European allies. Politico reports this, citing a U.S. official and three people familiar with the plan.
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