US Ambassador to NATO comments on military aid to Ukraine
Photo: US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker (Getty Images)
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said that several countries may soon announce the allocation of funds for the purchase of American weapons for Ukraine, Reuters reports.
According to him, the Netherlands became the first country to take advantage of NATO's new mechanism for financing the supply of American weapons to Ukraine. But other countries will join the initiative soon.
"We're moving as fast as possible," Whitaker says.
He adds that US supplies under the new mechanism will begin very soon.
"I think we'll see it moving very quickly, certainly in the coming weeks, but some even sooner than that. The Dutch are just the first of many. You're going to see a series of announcements in the coming weeks," the US ambassador to NATO says.
New US and NATO initiative
The Netherlands is allocating €500 million to a new initiative under which Ukraine will receive American weapons at the expense of European countries.
The support package will include missiles and parts for Patriot and HAWK air defense systems. Artillery shells will also be transferred to Ukrainian defenders, although the exact composition of the package is still being agreed upon.
Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said his country was the first to allocate money for such an initiative. In this way, the Dutch authorities want to set an example.
On July 14, US President Donald Trump announced that he had agreed with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the supply of American weapons to Ukraine.
Trump assured that all weapons received by Ukraine would be paid for by European countries.
The American leader promised that Ukraine would receive the best weapons as part of this initiative.
