NATO finalizes €140B Ukraine aid pledge ahead of Ankara summit

NATO ambassadors on Thursday finalized the text of the alliance's Ankara summit declaration, which commits European members and Canada to providing €70 billion in military assistance to Ukraine in 2026 and "at least equivalent levels" of support in 2027, according to the document seen by Reuters.reuters

A Coordinated Package

The pledge, totaling €140 billion over two years, is not entirely new funding. According to diplomats who spoke to AFP, approximately €30 billion per year will come from the defense portion of an existing €90 billion EU loan facility, while the remaining funds represent bilateral commitments from individual countries. The United States is not expected to participate in reaching this target.pravda+2

Germany initially put forward the €70 billion framework, which includes a structural tracking mechanism designed to monitor individual member state contributions with greater transparency, Politico reported. Diplomats told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that the declaration will include language emphasizing that the sum should not be considered a permanent ceiling for future support but rather a tool for coordinating allied efforts.mezha+2

Russia Labeled a Threat

The declaration, which still needs final approval from leaders when they gather at Turkey's Presidential Complex on July 7-8, will also define Russia as a threat to Euro-Atlantic security. NATO leaders including President Donald Trump are set to affirm an "ironclad commitment" to collective defense under the alliance's Article 5 pact, Reuters reported.pravda+1

The financial commitment comes as European countries have slightly reduced their monthly military support to Kyiv. From January to April 2026, European nations allocated roughly €2 billion per month in military aid, down from €2.4 billion per month during the same period in 2025, according to the Kiel Institute.politico

Building on European Momentum

In the weeks leading up to the summit, top European leaders signaled their intent to present a united front. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Polish leader Donald Tusk issued a joint declaration committing to "enhancing substantial support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression".aljazeera

The Ankara summit will be the 36th NATO summit and the second hosted by Turkey, following the 2004 gathering in Istanbul.wikipedia