< p>The foreign ministers of the NATO countries will discuss today in the Czech capital in Prague the coordination of military aid to Ukraine, reported DPA and BTA.
On the second day of their two-day meeting, ministers will try to advance discussions on a €100 billion proposal by alliance secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg to transfer responsibility for coordinating aid from an informal, US-led initiative to the official NATO structures.
Until now, the US-led Contact Group for Ukraine has been in charge of coordinating military aid, not alliance structures. NATO's position is that it is not a party to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The fact that the contact group relies on the US for coordination, however, raises concerns among European allies that it could be hindered if Donald Trump enters the White House after November's presidential election, as they doubt his willingness to support military efforts of Ukraine, notes DPA.
In April, Stoltenberg refused to answer whether his proposal had anything to do with a possible return of Trump to the presidency. He then stated that the goal was to make military aid to Ukraine more stable and predictable.
Another open question remains open - what conditions NATO countries should set for how Ukraine will use the weapons provided by them. Some countries supply weapons without imposing conditions, but others explicitly require that the weapons be used only against targets on Ukrainian territory.
Yesterday Stoltenberg said the allies should consider lifting restrictions on striking targets in Russia. His argument was that fighting has recently moved closer to the border, making it easier for Russia to launch attacks from inside its territory.
The Kremlin warned yesterday that there would be consequences if strikes were carried out on Russian territory with Western weapons provided to Ukraine.