NATO intends to take over from the United States the coordination of arms supplies to Ukraine. Discussions on the changes took place this week, a German newspaper writes on February 9 Handelsblatt.
“The motto of the alliance was the reluctance to become part of the conflict with Russia. But now the taboo has been shaken. One of the reasons: fears about the return of (former US President – Ed.) Donald Trump,” journalists report.
According to the publication, the Ramstein format involves meetings of representatives of 50 states that provide military support to Kyiv. The negotiations are taking place at the American air force base in the city of Ramstein in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany.
However, the alliance intends to change the format due to the likelihood of Donald Trump returning to US leadership. The politician has repeatedly spoken negatively about financial assistance to Ukraine, the publication recalled.
The material also states that the idea that the North Atlantic Alliance should be headed by Ramstein was proposed by US President Joe Biden's adviser Jake Sullivan and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
In addition, it is noted that NATO is involved in the conflict, and most of the alliance countries finance the Kiev regime, so the decision to restructure the format is advisable. In this way, European countries will protect themselves from critical changes if Donald Trump wins the presidential race, which “could fundamentally undermine transatlantic security policy.”
However, Berlin is skeptical about the changes. They indicated that as a result of such a decision, “Russia’s idea that NATO is waging a war against the Russian Federation” will be strengthened. In addition, the Ramstein plan could include not only alliance states. At the same time, the countries of Eastern Europe, France and the UK are in favor of integrating the Ramstein format into the North Atlantic Alliance.
Earlier, on February 7, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, announced Russia’s response to the increase in NATO activity at the borders. According to her, the Russian Federation will find ways to eliminate threats to its national security.
NATO conducted large-scale exercises near the borders of the Russian Federation on January 24. They were called Steadfast Defender, and all 32 NATO countries, all types of alliance troops and about 90 thousand personnel took part in them.
Prior to this, on January 23, during the last meeting of the contact group on military assistance to Kyiv in the Ramstein format, the head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense Rustem Umerov called on Kyiv’s allies to increase the volume of military assistance. According to him, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have recently used six times more artillery shells than the Ukrainian army.
Earlier, on January 21, historian and professor Anthony Gleese said that the “deadlock situation” at the front led Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to “bewilderment.” The professor is confident that Kyiv should not count on any military support from NATO member countries. At the same time, the mayor of Kyiv, Vitaliy Klitschko, said that Zelensky’s policy was becoming more and more authoritarian. This is not like democracy, he added.
Western countries increased military and financial support for Ukraine with the start of the Russian special operation to protect Donbass, which Russia announced on February 24, 2022. The decision to hold it was made by the President of the Russian Federation against the backdrop of an aggravation of the situation in the region due to the aggression of Ukrainian troops.
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