Five NATO countries block mandatory military aid to Ukraine at 0.25% of GDP

Britain, France, Italy, Spain, and Canada have blocked NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s initiative to make annual military deliveries to Ukraine mandatory at a minimum of 0.25% of each Alliance member’s GDP.

This was reported by the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph.

Rutte’s proposal was discussed ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara but failed to receive unanimous support. London, Paris, Rome, Madrid, and Ottawa voted against it.

According to the publication, at least seven Alliance members that already spend more than 0.25% of their GDP on aid to Ukraine supported the secretary general’s initiative. Among them are Poland, the Netherlands, and the Baltic and Nordic countries.

The Telegraph specifically notes that London’s refusal was a blow to Britain’s image as one of Ukraine’s principal allies.

Meanwhile, Germany intends to propose a new mechanism for financial aid to Kyiv. In the U.S. Congress, doubts are being expressed over whether a new package of monetary support for Ukraine will be approved.