Allies have exceeded their commitments and provided Ukraine with more than 50 billion euros in military aid, - Rutte
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that Ukraine's allies have not only fulfilled their commitments to provide €40 billion in military aid, but have also significantly exceeded them, providing more than €50 billion.
According to Censor.NET, citing Interfax-Ukraine, he said this on Wednesday in Brussels at a press conference on the eve of a meeting of NATO defense ministers.
He recalled that at the Washington Summit, the Allies promised to provide Ukraine with €40 billion in security assistance in 2024, but provided a much larger amount.
"The Allies have not only fulfilled their commitments. They have significantly exceeded them. They have provided (military assistance - Ed.) for more than 50 billion euros, more than half of which comes from European allies and Canada. This sends a clear signal of our unwavering commitment to Ukraine, and it also goes a long way toward what President Trump has called for. I agree with him that we should level up our security assistance to Ukraine."
According to him, since 2022, NATO members have provided 99% of all military assistance to Ukraine.
"We've seen recent additions to that from Sweden, Finland, Canada, but also, of course, the Mirages from France and the F-16s from the Netherlands. Other Allies are also stepping up their efforts to train more Ukrainian military. The newly established NATO Command in Wiesbaden to support Ukraine is at the forefront of coordinating these and future contributions," said Rutte.
At the same time, he emphasized that in order to "truly change the trajectory of the conflict, we need to do more".
"The stronger Ukraine is on the battlefield, the stronger it is at the negotiating table, the more chances we have to reach a favorable agreement for a lasting peace. This is what we all want. For the sake of Ukraine, our common security and global stability," the Secretary General added.
