Five NATO countries block Rutte’s proposal for 0.25% GDP aid to Ukraine
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged his proposal for each alliance member to commit 0.25% of GDP in support for Ukraine is unlikely to pass after being blocked by five countries, The Telegraph reports, citing an "Alliance insider.”
Discussions on Rutte's idea began this week. The Secretary General said that aid to Ukraine is "unevenly distributed within NATO" and that many are "not spending enough" on it.
Britain, France, Spain, Italy, and Canada all opposed the idea, despite support from at least seven other NATO members. Any Alliance decision requires unanimous approval.
The proposal, first reported by Politico, was intended for discussion at the July summit in Ankara to address uneven burden-sharing in aid to Ukraine. Rutte had noted that assistance is distributed unevenly, with some countries contributing far more as a percentage of GDP than others.
The five countries were described as “not very enthusiastic” about the fixed contribution plan. At the same time, a British Foreign Office spokesperson said the government continues to work with allies on proposals to provide the best possible support for Ukraine.
According to estimates, the Nordic and Baltic empires, the Netherlands, and Poland pay Ukraine a higher percentage of their GDP in military aid than many other allies.