NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is proposing that the allied powers contribute $100 billion over the next five years to Ukraine to help in the war effort against Russia.
According to a report from Bloomberg, the allies are still in the process of working out the details of the package. NATO, as well as the White House, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the outlet. The proposal could side-step policy changes for US funding of Ukraine after the 2024 US election.
As part of the package, NATO could take over in managing the operations of the US-led Ukraine Contact Defense Group. The group coordinates weapons delivery to Ukraine from about 50 different countries.
The report from Bloomberg speculated that if NATO would be given the funds, it would side-step any efforts to cease funding to the country as a result of an election year in the US.
According to the report, allies have been worried that, if Trump returns to the White House after the 2024 election, the president could withdraw US aid to the country in war with Russia.
The step also signals a larger step from NATO to ally itself in the war effort long-term if the proposed funding were to go through.
Funding for Ukraine in US politics has been a heavily fraught topic in both the House and Senate over the course of the last few months. An attempt to tie border security to Ukraine funding was thwarted by Republican Senate leaders.
This past Sunday, Republican Rep. Don Bacon made the assertion that House Speaker Mike Johnson is "committed" to bringing Ukraine funding to the floor and believes that it could lead to Johnson's ousting.
