As Trump looms, NATO may take over US responsibilities for Ukraine aid
3 Min Read
NATO may soon assume more responsibility for supplying help to Ukraine, as concerns rise over the consequences for the military alliance if ex-President Donald Trump returns to the White House.
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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a press conference at the Swedish Government headquarter Rosenbad in Stockholm, Tuesday Oct. 24, 2023 (AP)
Western sources have divulged to Semafor that NATO is leading talks to transfer some of the coordination of Western military aid to Ukraine from the Pentagon to the alliance. NATO officials said they hope to wrap up negotiations by July, when the bloc's annual summit will be held in Washington, D.C. It is unknown when, if at all, the responsibility will be transferred across the Atlantic.
Fears over Trump's return to office are one factor driving the discussions. European diplomats recall Trump's previous tenure when he frequently questioned NATO's usefulness. Since the war began in 2022, Trump has vowed that he would end the crisis within 24 hours.
After a recent meeting with Trump, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that the former president "will not give a penny" to Kiev.
Last month, Trump confirmed his willingness to "encourage" Russia to attack NATO members who are behind on their financial obligations.
Read more: Congress 'looting from its army' to support Ukraine: UnHerd
A NATO representative did not reply to a request for comment, and the Department of Defense pointed Semafor to statements by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. When asked if the Ukraine-related activities will be passed to NATO on Tuesday, Austin said, "We're focused on making sure that we can get Ukraine the security assistance that it needs to be successful today and in the near and mid-term."
The talks are about the operations of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, commonly known as the Ramstein Group, which was formed in the early weeks of the war to organize military aid to Ukraine. More than 40 defense chiefs are involved, including all NATO members and allies like Japan and South Korea.
Concerns are particularly focused on replacing Sec. Austin, who hosts the monthly sessions and leads the group, if Trump is re-elected, according to a senior European official.
“There’s been talk about how to coordinate a robust setup to protect the aid and donations to Ukraine from changing political winds,” the diplomat told Semafor.
Read more: NATO to set up training bases in Ukraine, standardize army
Finland's Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen recently stated in an interview that NATO was "very well suited" to organize all support for Ukraine.
Eric Ciaramella, a former acting senior director for Europe and Russia at the National Security Council told Semafor that there were "Certain things that only we can do."
Nonetheless, Ciaramella stated that efforts to increase NATO's role in organizing Western support for Ukraine would face challenges, including reaching a consensus across the 32-member alliance, which includes countries like Hungary that have previously been hampered in European efforts to aid Ukraine, as well as determining how to include non-NATO allies such as Australia and Japan.
