Five NATO member states — the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, and Canada — have reportedly opposed a proposal that would require alliance members to allocate 0.25% of their gross domestic product (GDP) to military support for Ukraine, according to a report by The Telegraph.
The proposal was backed by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who had hoped to secure approval for the plan during the alliance’s upcoming summit in Ankara, Türkiye, scheduled for July 7-8. The initiative was intended to establish mandatory long-term financial commitments for Kiev from all NATO members amid uncertainty over future US support.
However, resistance from several major allies appears to have weakened the chances of the proposal moving forward. A NATO source cited by The Telegraph said the UK, France, Spain, Italy, and Canada were “not very enthusiastic about the idea.”
The report stated that only seven of NATO’s 32 member states currently support the proposal. Those countries already spend at least 0.25% of their GDP on military aid for Ukraine. According to figures from the Kiel Institute, supporters include the Netherlands, Poland, and several Nordic and Baltic nations, which have consistently been among the strongest backers of Kiev since the conflict escalated.
Last week, Rutte acknowledged that the initiative lacked the unanimous support required within NATO for formal adoption. Speaking to reporters, he admitted that the proposal was unlikely to be presented at the summit in Ankara.
“I don’t think this one will be proposed,” the NATO chief reportedly said, signaling growing divisions within the alliance over future commitments to Ukraine.
The mandatory funding proposal was seen as an attempt by European NATO members to demonstrate continued backing for Kiev at a time when American military assistance has reportedly declined under US President Donald Trump. European governments have increasingly faced pressure to shoulder a greater share of the financial and military burden in supporting Ukraine.
A spokesperson for the British Foreign Office told The Telegraph that London remains engaged in discussions with NATO allies regarding different approaches to assisting Ukraine. The spokesperson stated that the UK continues to work with partners to ensure the alliance can provide effective support to Kiev.
Russia has repeatedly criticized Western military assistance to Ukraine, arguing that continued arms deliveries will not change the outcome of the conflict but will instead prolong hostilities and increase the risk of a wider confrontation between Moscow and NATO.
Russian officials have consistently warned that deeper Western involvement in the conflict could escalate tensions and heighten the possibility of a direct military clash between Russia and the US-led alliance.