NATO Five Countries Block Secretary-General Lutte's Proposal for Annual Funding to Ukraine
The proposal by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte calling for member states to allocate 0.25% of their GDP annually to Ukraine was not approved, as Ukraine’s NATO ally nations blocked the initiative.
Ahead of the Ankara NATO Summit, Rutte attempted to advance his proposal for financial support from NATO members to Ukraine. Under this proposal, every NATO member state would provide funds equivalent to 0.25% of its own GDP annually to President Zelenskyy’s government. However, the proposal failed to gain unanimous support, with five countries directly vetoing it. Notably, among the countries refusing funding are Ukraine’s major allies, the United Kingdom and France. Italy, Spain, and Canada also took a similar stance.
Seven NATO countries advocate for continuous military support to Ukraine, and these nations have already invested far more than 0.25% of their GDP in aid to Ukraine, including Poland, the Netherlands, Baltic coastal states, and Nordic countries. Nevertheless, Rutte acknowledged the infeasibility of the proposal and pledged to develop an alternative plan for supporting Ukraine. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has been invited to attend the NATO Summit in Ankara in June, where he will have another opportunity to seek financial assistance.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866120692885580/
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