NATO to launch structure at summit to coordinate aid to Ukraine

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (Getty Images)

At the upcoming NATO summit in Washington, Ukraine will be offered a new headquarters for managing military assistance. This will serve as a guarantee of the alliance's long-term commitment to the country's security, which has been proclaimed a bridge to potential membership for Kyiv, citing The New York Times.

According to American and NATO officials, the alliance will announce that it has agreed to establish a mission in Germany to coordinate the provision of various forms of aid to Ukraine in the long term. This move is intended to send a strong signal of the allies' commitment, both to Kyiv and Moscow, which hopes that the West will tire of supporting the war.

Since the mission will operate under NATO's auspices, it is designed to function even if Donald Trump wins the US presidential election in November.

The administration of US President Joe Biden and NATO officials proposed this idea as a way to offer Kyiv something substantial at the summit, although they maintain that the time for Ukraine's accession has not yet come.

It is not only that Ukraine is still at war, which could make NATO an active participant in the conflict. Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have said that Ukraine must carry out significant reforms to reduce corruption and strengthen democracy and the rule of law.

NSATU

The new mission will unify the activities of the current "coalition of the willing" countries providing various types of military assistance to Ukraine, such as air defense systems, artillery, F-16 fighters, weapons, and training, under one umbrella.

It will also coordinate the training of Ukrainian troops in allied countries and long-term bilateral security agreements that various countries have signed with Ukraine, according to US and NATO officials who spoke on condition of anonymity as the details of the plan have not yet been announced.

Officials said all NATO countries agree on the creation of the mission, and this will be announced at the summit.

Previously, assistance to Ukraine was mainly provided by individual countries, with less attention to its effectiveness or even meeting Kyiv's most urgent needs. Unifying the main lines of aid and training under a single command is intended to streamline the flow and make it more consistent, officials familiar with the plan said.

The mission called the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) will work to reduce duplication and complications associated with the various types of weaponry being sent to Ukraine.

NATO summit

From July 9 to 11, the NATO summit will be held in the US capital, marking the 75th anniversary of the Alliance's creation. The initiative for the summit was announced in 2023 during a meeting of NATO leaders in Vilnius.

For Ukraine, this summit holds special significance. As Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski emphasized, the West needs to demonstrate to Russia a firm determination to engage in a long-term conflict if necessary and to provide Ukraine with enduring support.

Key issues concerning security in Europe and further assistance to Ukraine in confronting Russian aggression are expected to be discussed at the summit.

Previously, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance would establish a permanent structure for organizing the supply of weapons to Ukraine and their financing.