Overview
- Reporting on May 24–25 said the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy and Canada opposed Secretary‑General Mark Rutte’s proposal that each NATO member set an annual 0.25% of GDP floor for military aid to Ukraine, and Rutte conceded the plan lacked the unanimous support needed to move forward.
- At least seven allies supported the idea and already meet or exceed 0.25% of GDP in aid, but NATO’s rule that decisions require consensus allows a minority of members to block formal adoption.
- The UK’s reputation as a leading backer of Kyiv was further damaged when government documents showed a May 19 decision to issue temporary licences for fuels refined from Russian crude remains in effect.
- Smaller northern and eastern members such as the Netherlands, Poland and the Baltic and Nordic states are already providing support at or above the proposed level while several larger economies lag, increasing friction over who bears the cost of Kyiv’s defence.
- With Rutte’s plan stalled, a formal Europe‑wide funding pledge at the Ankara summit now appears unlikely and Ukraine faces renewed uncertainty about steady long‑term military funding as U.S. aid has been reduced under President Trump.