NATO should step up Ukraine aid coordination - Stoltenberg
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STORY: ::NATO should step up the coordination of Ukraine aid to prevent gaps and delays, says its Secretary General ::Riga, Latvia ::June 11, 2024 ::Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General "The most urgent task is, of course, to ensure that we provide the support to Ukraine for as long as it takes. And therefore, I expect NATO allies to agree to have NATO in the lead in providing security assistance, training for Ukraine, and also to agree a long term financial commitment to Ukraine, because NATO allies are providing 99% of the military support to Ukraine already. And therefore, I think it makes sense to have NATO in the stronger coordinating role, also to prevent the gaps and delays we saw during the winter. Ukraine needs a predictable, stable flow of military support." "I expect that NATO will take the lead in coordinating the provision of equipment and training, and other allies will make a financial commitment to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. Second, we will address our deterrence and defense. Allies are stepping up our efforts on defense spending, and I expect around two-thirds of allies to invest at least 2% of GDP in defense this year." A $61 billion U.S. aid package for Ukraine faced months of delay in Congress, eventually being passed in April. NATO allies are set to discuss Stoltenberg's plan, widely seen as an effort to provide a degree of "Trump-proofing", at a summit in Washington in July. But the proposal will have to overcome resistance from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has made clear his country will not take part, arguing it brings the alliance closer to war with Russia. Hungary's President Tamas Sulyok is not attending the B9 summit, but Stoltenberg is due to visit Budapest on Wednesday (June 12).
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