Mot Version: Protecting against attacks - NATO adoptes plan to support Ukraine militarily
NATO nations have formulated a plan to enhance support for Ukraine. The objective of this venture is to assume responsibility for overseeing weapon deliveries and military training for the Ukrainian army.
This plan was set into motion during a defense ministers' conference, and the written version was finalized on Thursday. The document will be publicly released on Friday, once formalized by the ministers.
The current support initiatives are primarily spearheaded by the United States. They established a 300-person unit named Security Assistance Group-Ukraine (SAG-U) in late 2022 within their own military headquarters in Wiesbaden, Hesse. The NATO scheme should have a comparable workforce. The specifics of this project were initially shielded from disclosure by the alliance.
Potential Publication of Trump's Return
The NATO scheme is also viewed as a backup strategy if Donald Trump resumes the US presidency in January 2025. Trump's past remarks raise concerns that he might cease supporting Ukraine if he regains power. The alliance fears that a shift in American political policy could lead to the cessation of weapon provisioning and training for the Ukrainian military.
NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg stated in Brussels on Thursday that the goal is to establish a more robust foundation for Ukrainian support to ensure enduring engagement.
There won't be Hungarian involvement in this new NATO project. The Hungarian government, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, fears the alliance could instigate a conflict with Russia via the project. Several other NATO nations were cautious about offering more support to Ukraine two years ago, ultimately avoiding a more robust alliance-backed operation. As perceptions shifted and the risk was determined to be manageable, most NATO members now view the endeavor as calibrated.
To ensure Hungary's cooperation in green-lighting the project, they were reassured that the country would incur no expenses or personnel costs.
The name disagreement has been temporarily resolved. The project is presently called "NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine" (NSATU) within the alliance. Many NATO nations initially favored the name "NATO Mission Ukraine." However, Germany argued that this might lead to misunderstanding - suggesting NATO soldiers would be deployed to Ukraine. It sought to thwart any propaganda utilization by Russia against the alliance.
The project's preparatory steps can now be implemented, contingent upon the agreed operations plan. Ideally, it will kick off in July, during a planned summit in Washington when German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), along with the other 31 heads of state in the NATO alliance, convene.
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