BRUSSELS — NATO countries are considering a new €70 billion military funding commitment for Ukraine that would be unveiled during the alliance’s summit in Ankara next month, four NATO diplomats told POLITICO.
The proposal — circulated by Germany last month — would include a new mechanism to increase transparency around funding for Ukraine, the diplomats said. That comes as some countries complain that they are disproportionately bearing the cost of supporting Kyiv.
“The key is to have a firm commitment from Ankara to continue the crucial support to Ukraine on a sustainable and more equitable basis,” added a fifth senior NATO diplomat.
Allies are scrambling to shore up support for Ukraine more than four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion. The debate has gained fresh urgency as many experts say Kyiv is tilting the balance of the war in its favor.
Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. has halted almost all new military aid to Ukraine and is only selling weapons to Kyiv financed by other allies.
On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, urged Europe to supply more critical Patriot interceptors to destroy Russian ballistic missiles. He argued deliveries were being held up by stockpile shortages linked to the war in Iran, where analysts estimate that the U.S. and its Gulf allies fired thousands of those air-defense systems desperately needed by Ukraine.
European countries allocated €2 billion per month in military aid to Kyiv between January and April, according to a report published by the Kiel Institute think tank on Thursday, a slight dip from the €2.4 billion per month they donated during the same period in 2025. The report recorded no U.S. military aid during that period.
Support for Ukraine is set to be one of the key issues tackled at the July 7-8 NATO leaders’ summit.
A NATO official speaking on behalf of the organization told POLITICO: “Discussions are ongoing on how we will continue NATO’s strong support to Ukraine and ensure fairer burden sharing.”
Alyona Getmanchuk, Ukraine’s ambassador to NATO, told POLITICO that any new commitment should focus on Kyiv’s priorities such as air defense, investments in drone and missile production and extended-range ammunition.
“Until effective security guarantees become available for Ukraine, we can rely only on the financial guarantees provided by our partners,” she said.
After rejecting a suggestion by Rutte to devote 0.25 percent of their GDP to Ukraine last month, allies are now considering the German initiative. But the discussions remain in their early stages, three of the diplomats said. A meeting of NATO defense ministers later this month creates an opportunity to reach an agreement.
The new funding target would not consist entirely of fresh cash. Under the proposal, €30 billion would come from the EU’s already agreed two-year €90 billion loan to Ukraine, two of the diplomats said, while an additional €40 billion would be allocated from bilateral commitments.
“This is natural, because of the fact that most NATO allies are also EU [members],” said a sixth senior NATO diplomat. “It would be unfair for them to be called to contribute twice.”
However, some worry that countries may feel there is less need to donate on their own if they can count on EU cash.
“What is important now is that especially European countries don’t see this €90 billion loan as something that is going to be instead of bilateral support,” Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Sterengard told POLITICO late last month. “Adding the bilateral support on top of that loan is absolutely crucial.”
This article has been updated.