NATO decided on Friday to take over Western military support for Ukraine, until now led by Washington. The Alliance thus intends to anchor it over the long term while Donald Trump could reshuffle the cards in the event of victory in the American presidential election on November 5.
This will “give our support for Ukraine a stronger basis in the years to come,” said Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
In this same spirit, a agreement on a loan of 50 billion dollars, financed thanks to frozen Russian assets, was found Thursday by the leaders of the G7 meeting at a summit in Italy. The United States also concluded a ten-year security agreement with Ukraine on Thursday, on the sidelines of the summit organized in Puglia.
>> Our follow-up on the war in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin sets conditions for Ukraine to start negotiations
>> To find out more about the agreement reached, watch the 7:30 p.m. report on Thursday:
Coordinated by NATO, commanded by Washington
Meeting in Brussels, the defense ministers of the Atlantic Alliance for their part decided on Friday to entrust NATO with responsibility for coordinating and providing Western military aid to kyiv. This task was until now carried out by the United States.
These operations will still be under the command of an American general, but he will now wear a NATO hat.
To face a Donald Trump victory
This change may seem minor, but according to several NATO diplomats, it aims to ensure that the flow of military aid to Ukraine cannot be interrupted by a decision from the White House in the event of Donald’s victory. Trump in the November election.
It is indeed a question of putting in place a “Trump-proof” system, said a NATO diplomat.
“There are about 500 American military personnel” currently in charge of coordinating military aid deliveries to Ukraine, he explained. “Any president can pull the plug tomorrow if he wants.”
The aim is to make this military support for Ukraine “safe from any situation” in the future, confirmed Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren, when asked about the danger posed by a possible return. of the American billionaire in the White House.
“Firmer base”
This new NATO responsibility “will give our support a firmer basis, will be more predictable for kyiv and will meet Ukraine’s short-term and long-term needs”, assured Jens Stoltenberg.
The NATO chief also wants to ensure that the Allies collectively commit to maintaining their aid for as long as necessary.
This military support is currently the result of commitments made country by country, with the United States in the lead with more than 50 billion dollars since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The Norwegian official therefore reiterated on Friday in Brussels his proposal for an envelope of at least 40 billion euros per year to help Ukraine, i.e. the current level of Allied aid to kyiv. Each of the 32 NATO countries, with the exception of Hungary which has obtained not to participate, will have to contribute according to its gross domestic product.
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