NATO boss floats 100 billion euro military aid fund for Ukraine

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NATO head Jens StoltenbergNATO boss Jens Stoltenberg has proposed a 100 billion euro ($107 billion), five-year package of military aid to Ukraine that would give the Western alliance a more direct role in providing support to Kyiv, five diplomats said on Tuesday.

Under the plan, NATO would take over some coordination work from a U.S.-led ad-hoc coalition known as the Ramstein group - a step designed in part to guard against any cut in U.S. support if Donald Trump returns to the White House, diplomats said.
The proposal is expected to be discussed at a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers on Wednesday and Thursday, with the aim of finalising a package in time for a NATO summit in Washington in July.
Until now, NATO as an organisation has restricted itself to non-lethal aid for Ukraine out of fears that a more direct role could trigger an escalation of tensions with Russia. Most of its members provide weapons to Ukraine on a bilateral basis.
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