NATO agrees on multi-billion aid package for Ukraine ahead of summit in Ankara

This sum already includes the approximately 60 billion euros in military aid that the EU has pledged to Ukraine for 2026 and 2027 as loans. The EU had launched a loan program for this purpose, comprising around 30 billion euros annually and set to provide around 60 billion euros for defense-related expenditures by the end of 2027.

At the end of the day, this left an additional around 80 billion euros that NATO states would have to shoulder from their national budgets. "Unter dem Strich blieben damit noch rund 80 Milliarden Euro, die Nato-Staaten aus ihren nationalen Haushalten stemmen müssten," according to the consultations. In addition, European NATO states and Canada contribute bilaterally another around 40 billion euros annually.

Background: The end of US contributions

The 40 billion euros correspond to an earlier NATO commitment from 2024, which at the time still included the United States. Back then, the alliance states agreed, "mit Hilfe proportionaler Beiträge," to provide within one year an "elementare Mindestfinanzierung in Höhe von 40 Milliarden Euro." With the new agreement, Europeans and Canadians are now likely to officially replace the US contributions.

The background to this shift is US policy under Donald Trump: the US government has already ceased funding military support for Ukraine for some time. US government representatives such as Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio had previously described the allies' course as "beschämend" and announced a reassessment of US relations with NATO.

At the last NATO summit with Joe Biden in 2024, the most recent NATO financial support commitment for Ukraine was made. Since then, a growing gap has opened up, which the new package is now intended to close. Germany is expected to shoulder the largest share of the additional national contributions.

Germany as the largest contributor

The German government has already earmarked 11.5 billion euros for this year for artillery, drones, armored vehicles, and other equipment. "Für dieses Jahr hat die deutsche Regierung bereits jetzt 11,5 Milliarden Euro für militärische Ausrüstung für die Ukraine eingeplant," according to sources in Berlin. Based on the plans known so far, this puts Germany at the top of the European contributors.

France is also among the major contributors within the alliance. The distribution of burdens among European NATO members was the subject of intensive consultations, as some states questioned the sustainability of high national defense spending in light of their own budgetary constraints.

Announcement at the summit in Ankara

The aid is to be officially announced in the Turkish capital Ankara, where the NATO summit starts on Tuesday. In addition to the heads of state and government of the 32 alliance states, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also expected in Ankara. The step is also a signal of continued support for Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia.

A spokesperson said at a press conference, without citing specific figures: "Auf dem Gipfel in der kommenden Woche werden die Bündnispartner zusagen, der Ukraine nachhaltige, verlässliche und langfristige Sicherheitsunterstützung zu leisten." He expressly welcomed Germany's strong leadership role on this issue.

The European NATO states and Canada want to pledge a total of 140 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine at the summit. It is to receive a commitment totaling 140 billion euros for this and the coming year. According to the negotiations, the money will flow into a mix of direct deliveries, training programs, and financial support for the Ukrainian defense industry.

Significance for Europe's security role

Observers view the package as an attempt by Europeans to assume the leadership role in the alliance following the US withdrawal from direct financing. At the same time, the support is to become more reliable and predictable than in previous years, when aid commitments were frequently dependent on political developments in Washington.

According to participants, the motto of the summit is "A stronger Europe in a stronger NATO." This underscores the alliance's claim that European member states must bear a greater share of the common security burden going forward. The exact national contributions are to be quantified only at the summit itself.

In Berlin, it is expected that the federal government will announce further details of its planned contributions in the coming days. The question of how the Bundestag will be involved in the financing also remains open. For the upcoming budget deliberations, the package is considered a key political stress test.

Outlook on budget debates

The agreement is regarded as a diplomatic success for the European negotiators, who had intensively wrestled in recent weeks to find a common line. If the declaration is adopted as planned, it would be the largest coherent European security commitment for Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's war of aggression.

With the summit declaration, the alliance partners also want to send a signal to Moscow that support for Kyiv will continue even without the United States. The long-term orientation – two years of minimum funding – is intended to provide planning certainty both for the Ukrainian government and for the European defense industry.