Politico: The European Allies are considering transferring weapons to Ukraine even in the presence of Trump

Politico published an article by Lara Seligman, Stuart Low, and Paul McCleary, discussing plans to gradually transfer the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group to NATO control.

The article stated, that the United States and other Western countries are considering transferring a US-led multinational group to NATO that would coordinate the shipment of weapons to Ukraine, which is one of several new proposals that could help maintain the flow of weapons to Kiev even under a possible second Donald Trump presidency.

Officials are expected to discuss a range of options during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday, including the gradual transfer of the organization, called the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, to NATO control, according to three European officials and a relevant US official with knowledge of the interior deliberations.

One of these officials said that the goal is to complete this step during the NATO leaders’ summit in Washington next July.

A second US official said another proposal would give NATO a more formal seat at the table within the Ukrainian group, rather than transferring it under NATO control.

The US official said that the idea from the US side is to strengthen relations between NATO and Ukraine to obtain long-term support.

The Ukrainian group was launched in the first weeks of the war by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, to coordinate Western support for Kiev’s defenses.

It’s credited with accelerating the provision of tens of billions of dollars in equipment, weapons and other aid to Ukraine that has been crucial in deterring Russian forces.

The US official said that discussions about NATO’s participation with the group are taking place “at very high levels,” with the aim of formalizing European support and supporting the Kiev alliance, adding that one of the considerations heading into the US and European elections is to make the group “more tolerable and sustainable”.

US Defense Department spokesman Major Charlie Dietz declined to confirm the discussions, saying the Defense Department had no new announcements regarding the form or structure of the group.

“We’re constantly discussing how to ensure continued support for Ukraine and how to organize support in the best possible way,” Dietz continued.

Transferring the group to NATO would be an important step towards strengthening Western support for the Ukraine war in the foreseeable future, amid Europe’s fears of Trump’s return to the White House.

Domestic politics in the United States and other countries actually threaten, in the near term, to cut off funding needed to send additional weapons to Kiev.

Experts say that formalizing the group within NATO would go a long way toward protecting support for Ukraine from changes in US and Western governments, especially from Trump.

Former Pentagon and NATO official Jim Townsend said, “There is a feeling in part of the NATO group, but not the entire group, that it’s better to institutionalize the process if Trump is re-elected, and this is something the United States must do; Get used to hearing it, because this is a fear, and a legitimate fear as well”.

The US official added, “Withdrawing this matter under the umbrella of NATO isolates it from the Trump presidency, or even from the United States, which may be distracted by China and cannot continue, or may not be able to raise its own funding”.

If this plan succeeds, this will be the latest in a series of measures taken to support institutions in anticipation of another Trump presidency.

Late last year, lawmakers approved a law that would require congressional approval if a future president attempted to withdraw from NATO, and are considering more protective measures.

Austin and Milley established the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the spring of 2022, weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The idea was to bring together defense ministers from various Western countries to discuss weapons and other military aid to be sent to Kiev.

The monthly closed meeting, which is attended virtually or in person at the Ramstein base in Germany, has served as a central force in equipping Ukraine with everything from modern battle tanks to F-16 fighter jets.

Aside from NATO allies, the group includes also about 20 other like-minded countries from outside the Euro-Atlantic theater.

However, the group has faced obstacles in recent months as US funding for Ukraine dried up.

The Pentagon said last December that it wouldn’t be able to send any additional weapons from its stockpiles until Congress allocated additional funds for the war effort.

The US Senate approved a supplemental package worth $95 billion that includes additional aid to Ukraine, but the legislation remained stalled in the House of Representatives for several months.

The Pentagon put together a new $300 million aid package last month, including much-needed artillery and air defenses, using cost savings from previous contracts, allowing the Defense Department to send additional weapons without hurting America’s military readiness.

Politico first reported that the package would include a number of the Army’s tactical missile systems that can travel 100 miles and carry warheads containing cluster bombs.

Ukraine has been demanding more missiles for months in order to attack targets deep within the Russian front lines.

But Defense Department officials say they cannot send additional aid until Congress passes the additional law.

“As we see we continue to advocate, the most important thing we want to see Congress approve is the additional law,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Monday.

She continued, “We hope that the House of Representatives, after it returns to session next week, will present these packages regularly”.

The US Ambassador to NATO, Julianne Smith, said that the focus is on providing Ukraine with additional ammunition and air defenses, and she continued, “Therefore, this pushes towards having our discussions either in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group led by the United States or among allies here at NATO headquarters”.

“On this issue, which is how we can ensure that the Ukrainians continue to gain the upper hand and see success on the battlefield… The goal is to keep this help flowing,” Smith added.