NATO sets up office in Wiesbaden
The United States is currently orchestrating the delivery of weapons to Ukraine, but a potential power shift in Washington may jeopardize these efforts. NATO intends to step in and take over the coordination if Donald Trump is re-elected. The headquarters for this planned NATO operation to manage weapon deliveries and training activities for the Ukrainian forces will be based in Germany, specifically in Wiesbaden. This location was chosen due to the presence of the US forces in Europe headquarters that have been handling these tasks.
The project, codenamed NSATU within the alliance, was officially approved by the North Atlantic Council and confirmed by the Defense Ministers on Thursday. It was previously led by the United States, which created a 300-person unit called Security Assistance Group-Ukraine (SAG-U) at the US European Command headquarters in Wiesbaden. To prepare for the potential change in political leadership in the US and its potential impact on support for Ukraine, NATO is planning to take over the coordination of weapons deliveries and training activities.
Hungary has chosen to opt-out of the project, as Trump's past statements raised concerns about the ongoing support for Ukraine under his leadership. NATO fears that a political shift in Washington could affect the coordination of weapons and training for the Ukrainian forces. The Hungarian government, fearing that the alliance may be driven into a direct confrontation with Russia, will not be involved in the new NATO project.
Two years ago, many NATO countries were hesitant about providing stronger support to Ukraine. They feared the risks, but the situation has since changed, and most NATO countries now view the risk as acceptable. To ensure that Hungary does not veto the project, they have assured that the country will not be required to contribute financially or with personnel.
While some countries preferred the name "NATO Mission Ukraine," the German government considered it misleading as it might imply that the alliance was sending soldiers to Ukraine. To avoid misunderstandings, they chose the current name, "NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine" (NSATU). The project is scheduled to start ideally in July, at the NATO Summit, where the German Chancellor and the leaders of the other NATO countries will meet in Washington.
Read also:
- The 'Attack on Ukraine' has led NATO to consider taking over the coordination of weapon deliveries and training activities, as the potential shift in US political leadership might affect the ongoing support for Ukraine.
- The new NATO project, named 'NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine' (NSATU), will be headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany, following the United States' lead in establishing the Security Assistance Group-Ukraine (SAG-U) there.
- The 'Ukraine conflict' has prompted concerns within NATO, as some member states, such as Hungary, fear a direct confrontation with Russia, leading them to opt-out of certain projects aimed at supporting Ukraine.
