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Five NATO member states opposed a proposal by Mark Rutte to require allies to allocate 0.25% of their GDP to military assistance for Ukraine, according to The Telegraph.
Under Rutte’s proposal, the mechanism could have generated around $143 billion annually for Ukraine — nearly three times the current level of support. However, the initiative failed to gain unanimous backing ahead of the NATO summit scheduled for early July.
The newspaper, citing diplomatic sources within the alliance, reported that United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, and Canada opposed the idea.
Rutte had hoped NATO members would approve the new funding mechanism during the alliance summit in Ankara on July 7–8. However, the NATO chief later acknowledged that the proposal could not move forward due to the lack of consensus.
According to The Telegraph, at least seven countries supported the initiative, including Netherlands, Poland, and several Nordic and Baltic states, many of which already spend more than 0.25% of GDP on assistance to Ukraine.
Because NATO decisions require unanimous approval, opposition from five countries effectively blocked the plan.
The Telegraph described the situation as a “double blow” to the reputation of the United Kingdom as one of Ukraine’s key allies. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had already faced criticism over softer sanctions enforcement against Russian oil and gas.
At the same time, London’s broader military support for Ukraine remains significant. Starmer previously pledged to provide Kyiv with at least £3 billion annually in military assistance.
Rutte had repeatedly argued that support for Ukraine is being distributed “unevenly” across NATO and that some allies are “not spending enough” on helping Kyiv.
The proposal also reflected growing pressure on European countries to assume greater responsibility for Ukraine’s defense as Donald Trump continues pushing for reduced US involvement in military aid programs.
The report comes amid broader concerns about Western military support. Earlier, The Washington Post reported that some allies refused to transfer their запаси of Patriot missiles to Ukraine despite Kyiv’s urgent requests.
