Canada Global (Web News) In a move largely interpreted as an attempt to protect the support system from NATO sceptic US President-elect Donald Trump, a source said Tuesday that NATO had taken over coordination of Western military aid to Ukraine from the US as planned.
After several months of delay, the action allows NATO to play a more active role in the fight against Russia’s invasion without actually committing its own forces.
However, considering that the US under Trump may still inflict Ukraine a serious blow by cutting its backing, diplomats admit that the transfer to NATO may only have a limited impact because the US is the alliance’s dominant force and supplies Kyiv with the majority of its armaments.
Trump, who will take office in January, has stated that he wants to put an immediate end to the conflict in Ukraine, but he has not specified how he plans to do so. He has long been critical of the extent of US military and financial support for Ukraine.
Clay Barracks, a US station near the German town of Wiesbaden, serves as the headquarters for NATO’s new Ukraine mission, known as NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU).
It is now fully operating, a person with knowledge of the situation told Reuters.
According to SHAPE, NATO’s military headquarters, the alliance’s Ukraine mission is starting to take over duties from the United States and other international organizations.
“The work of NSATU … is designed to place Ukraine in a position of strength, which puts NATO in a position of strength to keep safe and prosperous its one billion people in both Europe and North America,” said US Army General Christopher G. Cavoli, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
“This is a good day for Ukraine and a good day for NATO.”
NSATU will have a total of around 700 personnel, including troops stationed at NATO’s military headquarters SHAPE in Belgium and logistics hubs in Poland and Romania. Increases in Western military assistance to Ukraine have been denounced by Russia as a threat to a larger conflict.
