The day has arrived: NATO has assumed the coordination of military assistance to Ukraine, taking over from the U.S., according to Reuters.

NATO has taken on the coordination of military assistance to Kyiv instead of the United States. This was reported by Reuters on December 17, citing its own source. This management format for the supply of arms to Ukraine has been discussed since February 2024 and is a response to Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States.

The move, made after several months of delays, allows NATO to play a more active role in Ukraine's war against Russia's invasion while avoiding the deployment of its own forces, notes a Reuters source. This approach is seen by the Alliance as an attempt to protect the support mechanism from Trump's "skeptical stance" regarding assistance to Ukraine.

The headquarters of the new NATO mission in Ukraine, named "NATO Support and Training in Security for Ukraine" (NSATU), is located in Clay, an American military base in Wiesbaden, Germany. Last week, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak stated in an interview with Reuters that after the NATO summit in Washington, the alliance has taken greater responsibility for the hub in Jasieniec (Poland) – the main transit point for foreign aid to Ukraine.

However, the Alliance acknowledges that transferring NATO’s authority over military assistance may have limited effects, as the U.S. under Trump could still deliver a "serious blow" to Ukraine by reducing its support. America remains the dominant state in the alliance and supplies the majority of arms to Kyiv, according to Reuters.

The agency reminded that Trump, who will take office in January 2025, has stated that he wants to quickly end the war in Ukraine but has not revealed how he plans to do so. He has long criticized the scale of U.S. financial and military assistance to Ukraine.

It is worth noting that back in February 2024, representatives of partner countries began discussing the possibility of changing the working format of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, known as "Ramstein." Western countries aimed for NATO to be responsible for coordinating the supply of Western arms to Ukraine in the future.

The initiative to change the format was developed by U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and then-NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The idea arose due to "certain concerns" regarding the potential return of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States, which later became a reality.

Rutte Calls for Strengthening NATO Countries' Defense: Russia is Recovering Faster than Expected

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that Russia is significantly recovering its military capabilities faster than anticipated. Because of this, defense measures need to be reassessed and strengthened. According to him, Russia quickly learns from its mistakes, and this must be taken into account. He believes that the war in Ukraine could quickly reach NATO.

He urged NATO member countries to enhance military capabilities, increase troop numbers, and supply arms to the eastern flank. The NATO Secretary General also said that Ukraine must participate in any negotiations with Russia from a position of strength. To do this, it is necessary to ensure its army has sufficient ammunition, air defense systems, and other equipment.