BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO leaders plan to pledge next week to keep pouring arms and ammunition into Ukraine at current levels for at least another year, hoping to reassure the war-ravaged country of their ongoing support and show Russian President Vladimir Putin that they will not walk away.

U.S. President Joe Biden and his counterparts meet in Washington for a three-day summit beginning Tuesday to mark the military alliance’s 75th anniversary as Russian troops press their advantage along Ukraine’s eastern front in the third year of the war.

Speaking to reporters Friday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO’s 32 member countries have been spending around 40 billion euros ($43 billion) each year on military equipment for Ukraine since the war began in February 2022 and that this should be “a minimum baseline” going forward.

“I expect allies will decide at the summit to sustain this level within the next year,” Stoltenberg said. He said the amount would be shared among nations based on their economic growth and that the leaders will review the figure when they meet again in 2025.

NATO is desperate to do more for Ukraine but is struggling to find new ways. Already, NATO allies provide 99% of the military support it gets. Soon, the alliance will manage equipment deliveries. But two red lines remain: no NATO membership until the war is over, and no NATO boots on the ground there.

At their last summit, NATO leaders agreed to fast-track Ukraine’s membership process — although the country is unlikely to join for many years — and set up a high-level body for emergency consultations. Several countries promised more military equipment.

  • TheReturnOfPEB@reddthat.com
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    3 months ago

    Ukraine is not a whipping boy and yet NATO seems to think it is.

    If Ukraine had been allowed to keep their nuclear weapons none of this would be going on at all.

  • barsoap@lemm.ee
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    3 months ago

    A year? Feckless Americans holding back statements again, it seems. Europe is certainly in for the long haul. Also plenty of countries not ruling out boots on the ground. In fact the US not having a clear stance of “you use tactical nukes we’re going to put them onto Ukrainian soil” or similar is yet another instance of fecklessness.

    You may think yourself smart and strategic but in the end you’re a salami, sitting there motionless, being sliced.

    • Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      The US can’t commit to more than a year. Even a year we might break that promise. You gotta remember, we have an election in November. If trump wins, there’s no telling what bullshit he might do. He might even just nuke Ukraine.

      You gotta remember, half of the USA is on russia’s side.

    • el_bhm@lemm.ee
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      3 months ago

      Everything russia and their cronies fearmonger, EU and USA should do it.

      Ukies puppets of west. We fighting NATO now already. Oooga booga Nooks!

      NATO forces should have been in Ukraine a long time ago. All russia will do is be actually impressed, put a brave face on and moan of another Uncrossable Red Line.

  • NateDoge@lemmy.ml
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    3 months ago

    Ukraine: Joins NATO. Russia: Runs for the hills. Ukraine: Everything goes back to normal.

    The childish rhetoric and illogical manurisms of Zalinsky are profound. Its never dawned on you going to war with a superpower is extremely bad. Watching him go off and his emotional roller coaster the past few years has been painful. Defend your country. Here’s the support you need. But we aren’t stupid.

    As for widespread corruption. Yeah. There’s lots of flags.

    For every 100,000 dollar missle we send them that cost use 10,000 to manufacturer. We buy ourselves 9. You’re not even weaking our position.