U.S. Believes NATO Should Take a Leading Role in Supporting Ukraine

The United States believes that the North Atlantic Alliance should take the lead in military support for Ukraine.

Katherine Thompson, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, stated this during her speech in Congress.

“Allies are taking steps to that effect. Last month, for instance, the United Kingdom hosted the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. The U.K. and France have also committed to lead additional efforts to ensure a lasting peace in Ukraine,” she said.

According to Thompson, NATO played a central role in America’s strategy throughout the Cold War, but they forgot how important it was to invest in their defense when it ended.

Instead, Thompson stated, they grew accustomed to the peace that defined Europe and divested their militaries.

Thompson noted that Western and Central Europe is home to some of the largest and wealthiest economies in the world, but these countries have not invested enough in their defense.

Army Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli, commander of U.S. European Command and supreme allied commander Europe, noted Russia’s war in Ukraine has revealed it to be a chronic threat, and in the coming years, that threat will continue to grow.

He said Russia has shown it is willing to use military force to achieve geopolitical goals, and it is actively waging a campaign of destabilization across Europe and beyond.

Cavoli noted that this has forced European countries to increase defense spending at a pace not seen since the Cold War. Overall, he said, defense investments have risen by 40% compared to February 2022.

NATO’s Role in Supporting Ukraine

It was reported in December 2024 that NATO had already taken on the coordination of Western military aid to Ukraine.

The headquarters of the new mission called NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) is located at the U.S. military base in Wiesbaden, Germany.

The total personnel of NSATU will be around 700 people. This will include, among others, military personnel stationed at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Belgium, as well as at logistical facilities in Poland and Romania.

NSATU’s mission is only one of the “pillars of support” for Ukraine. Another such element is the JATEC (Analysis, Training, and Education Center), a center for analysis, training, and education located in Poland.

This center will allow Ukraine to share the combat experience gained in the war against Russia, as well as create a platform for joint training and exercises of the Armed Forces of Ukraine together with NATO partners.