NATO wants to commit to Ukraine in the long term

NATO wants to make a lasting commitment alongside Ukraine, which is in difficulty. faced the Russian forces, and began to attack. Wednesday à discuss an aid fund of 100 billion euros to better support kyiv.

“We are discussing how to establish a more robust framework (…) within NATO regarding our support” to Ukraine in order to “make it more predictable”, declared its secretary general on Wednesday Jens Stoltenberg, following a meeting in Brussels of Alliance foreign ministers.

Questioned about this idea of ​​a fund of 100 billion d euros, he refused to give details, explaining that discussions were only beginning with a view to finding a “consensus” among the 32 NATO countries before their summit in July in Washington.

This proposal, however, arouses skepticism among some of the organization's member states, who question the financing of such a fund.

“I don't think it makes much sense to discuss individual contributions here again and juggle” with figures, said the head of German diplomacy, Annalena Baerbock.

– Moscow on the offensive –

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (l) and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on April 3, 2024 in Brussels © AFP – Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD

In a joint statement released on Wednesday, Ms. Baerbock and her French counterparts, Stéphane Séjourné, and Polish counterparts, Radoslaw Sikorski, also insisted on the need for the Allies to remain alongside Ukraine.

“We must not rest on our laurels, we must accept the fact that this moment can define the future in which our children will live,” underline these foreign ministers, who in this declaration call on all NATO countries to devote at least 2% of their GDP to military spending.

This objective was set in 2014 by the Alliance but only around twenty of its members have reached this threshold .

Ukraine is demanding more military aid from its allies in the face of the Russian army, now on the offensive on the ground and shelling Ukrainian energy infrastructure .

Defense spending by NATO countries © AFP – Julia Han JANICKI, Laurence SAUBADU

“Ukraine is currently the only country in the world that defends itself against ballistic missiles almost every day,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba said on X, upon his arrival at the headquarters of the 'NATO.

This is why “all Patriot missiles” – used for anti-aircraft defense – available in the world should be sent to Ukraine “as soon as possible”, he said.

– “Any delay has consequences” –

The Secretary General of NATO, who will leave his post in October after ten years at the head of the Alliance, has shown concern about the situation on the battlefield.

Russian forces are prepared to suffer considerable losses for minimal territorial gains, with ” very little respect for human life,” he noted. “This is why the situation on the front is so difficult,” he insisted.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister arrives for a meeting at Alliance headquarters, April 3, 2024 in Brussels © AFP – Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD

Ukrainian soldiers must ration the artillery shells they fire against Russian troops, due to not receiving enough, Mr. Stoltenberg further explained. According to some experts, the report is one shell fired on the Ukrainian side against five on the Russian side.

He also deplored the blocking of more aid from the United States. of 60 billion dollars to Congress due to the veto of Republican elected officials favorable to former American President Donald Trump.

“Any delay has consequences on the field of battle”, he insisted, deeming it essential to transform short-term announcements into “long-term commitments, over several years”.

A more important commitment of NATO alongside Ukraine, however, faces opposition from Hungary, the member state of the Atlantic Alliance that has remained closest to Moscow since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Mr. Stoltenberg spoke with Hungarian Prime Minister Viltor Orban on Tuesday to try to convince him, in particular offering a sort of exception for his country, according to a NATO diplomat.

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