According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, funding the Ukrainian Armed Forces should be possible, even if members such as Hungary disagree with the idea.
Stoltenberg, who had previously presented a new scheme to finance the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces for €40 billion ($44 bn) a year, reiterated his belief that this approach should be approved.
The Secretary General said this when European Pravda asked about it after the NATO ministerial meeting in Prague.
“To improve the coordination of assistance to Ukraine and accountability, I am convinced that NATO should play a greater role. And we will find solutions that will make this happen,” he said.
Hungary, a NATO member, is categorically opposed to funding the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and has consistently blocked the EU’s allocation of funds for the purchase of weapons for Ukraine since last year.
When asked by European Pravda about the possibility of bypassing the veto of individual states in NATO, Stoltenberg avoided specifics but confirmed that such a discussion is underway.
“I’m not going to make my life easier by presenting you with the details of our discussion. But in the end, I will present you with a wonderful scheme that will work,” he said.
Annual commitment to Ukraine
Reuters reported on 30 May, citing its sources, that Stoltenberg aims to secure a commitment from NATO allies for a minimum of €40 billion ($44 bn) annually to ensure predictable funding for military aid to Ukraine, as Trump may return to office in the US.
The request will be made as NATO foreign ministers meet in Prague on 31 May to solidify long-term military support for Ukraine with Russia’s full-scale invasion now in its third year, amid concerns about future US backing due to potential political changes with Donald Trump’s possible return to the White House.
According to Reuters, the Prague informal talks will focus on a Ukraine support package that includes changes to weapons and ammunition supplies and is meant for approval at NATO’s Washington summit in July.
Read more:
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- Orban’s gambit: why Russia and Hungary secretly moved Ukrainian POWs to Budapest
- Hungary is blocking EU accession talks for Ukraine at ambassadors meeting
