NATO's new command, based in the German city of Wiesbaden, has begun work on coordinating Western military aid to Ukraine. This was stated today by the alliance's Secretary General Mark Rutte, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
According to Reuters, the command's activities are seen as a precautionary measure against the possible consequences of the NATO-skeptical attitude of the newly elected US President Donald Trump, whose term begins in January.
“NATO's command in Wiesbaden to provide security assistance and training to Ukraine has already started work“, Rutte told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Trump, who will take office as president in January, has repeatedly expressed a desire to quickly end the war in Ukraine, but has not specified a specific plan for achieving this. He has also criticized the volume of US financial and military support for Ukraine, Reuters notes.
The headquarters of the new mission, called “NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine“, is located at the US base “Clay Barracks” in Wiesbaden.
So far, coordination of aid to Ukraine has been carried out by the US-led "Ramstein" coalition, a network of about 50 countries named after the US air base in Germany. While "Ramstein" will continue to function as a political forum, the new NATO mission will take over the military implementation of the coalition's decisions.
However, diplomats warn that the mission's effectiveness could be limited if the Trump administration decides to reduce US support for Ukraine. The US continues to play a key role in the alliance, providing the bulk of the weapons and finances for Kiev.
The new NATO mission will have about 700 personnel, including troops at NATO's main headquarters in Belgium and logistics centers in Poland and Romania.
Meanwhile, Russia has criticized the increase in Western military aid to Ukraine, saying it increases the risk of an escalation of the war.