Weaponizing Kiev seen as NATO defense spending
(MENAFN) NATO is reportedly considering a proposal to count weapons and military aid provided to Ukraine as part of its members’ official defense expenditures, Euractiv reported on Tuesday. The move would allow countries supporting Kiev to include these contributions under NATO’s collective security efforts.
The initiative comes as the alliance prepares to raise its defense spending benchmark from 2% to 5% of GDP during an upcoming summit in the Netherlands. Under the proposal, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has suggested a dual-track system that permits up to 1.5% of GDP to be allocated to broader defense-related initiatives like cybersecurity and infrastructure – with aid to Ukraine falling into this category.
The proposal reportedly aims to address criticism from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has accused European allies of underfunding their defense obligations. It could also grant NATO members more leeway to purchase weapons for Ukraine directly from Ukrainian suppliers.
Many Western officials have referred to the Ukraine conflict as a proxy war against Russia. Trump’s envoy on Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, recently cautioned that continued arms supplies – such as German Taurus missiles – could hinder peace prospects. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has similarly described the conflict in proxy terms, a view echoed by the Kremlin.
The Trump administration has signaled it may withdraw support if Ukraine-Russia peace talks fail. Notably, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to skip the upcoming Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Brussels, marking the first time the U.S. will not be represented at the event, which was established in 2022 to coordinate military assistance to Ukraine.
Russian officials have accused NATO members of prolonging the conflict and have reiterated a preference for achieving their objectives through diplomacy rather than extended warfare.
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