NATO Members Promise 43 Billion US Dollar Aid To Ukraine

Mikoyan fighter jets in Ukraine/UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION/Voznenko Artur

JAKARTA - NATO allies have approved a 40 billion euro (USD 43 billion) military aid funding for Ukraine next year.

This information was conveyed by two Western European diplomats telling Reuters Wednesday, July 3, a week before the alliance's leaders were scheduled to meet in Washington.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has asked his allies to make a multi-year commitment to safeguarding Kyiv's military aid at the same level as since Russia's massive invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which amounts to around 40 billion euros per year.

While member states do not support Stoltenberg's initial request for the multi-year promise, the agreement includes provisions for re-evaluating allied contributions to NATO summits in the future, according to a diplomat.

The allies also decided to make two reports next year to determine which countries are supplying these materials to Ukraine, in order to meet greater transparency demands regarding the division of burdens within the alliance.

"Memberships will try to fulfill this promise through proportional contributions," the agreement said.

The financial promise is part of a broader Ukrainian package that NATO leaders will approve as they gather for a summit in Washington on July 9-11.

In June, allies decided NATO would take a bigger role in coordinating arms supplies to Ukraine, taking over the United States' role in efforts to maintain the process as NATO skeptic Donald Trump seeks a second term as US president.

Following the Russian invasion of 2022, the United States amassed countries of the same opinion at Ramstein airbase in Germany, forming a country group now around 50 countries, which meet regularly to match Kyiv's arms demand with donors' promises.

The group called Ramstein will continue to exist as a US-led political forum.

But NATO will take over the level of military work under it that coordinates arms shipments and training for Ukrainian forces.