A Potential Boon for Ukraine

This year’s gathering of NATO leaders stands out for a succinct format bereft of the typical long-form communiqué. At under 500 words, the summit declaration reaffirmed allies’ commitment to the Article 5 collective defense compact and established mutual accountability for meeting a defense spending goal of 5% of GDP within ten years. 

The member states broke down the key defense spending categories as expected—3.5% of GDP for “core defence requirements” and 1.5% of GDP for defense-related spending in areas such as critical infrastructure and cybersecurity. The declaration, however, contained two other important elements. The first was labeling Russia a “long-term threat” to NATO’s security; the second reaffirmed the “sovereign commitments to provide support to Ukraine”.

That latter element will allow the allies to count “direct contributions towards Ukraine’s defence and its defence industry” as part of their commitment to defense spending. This will be critical for sustained military aid to Ukraine and could be a win-win for those NATO member states that have long supported Kyiv. 

For a gathering that occurred in the shadow of a Middle East war and that focused on maintaining indispensable US backing for the alliance, the provision on Ukraine is a clear victory for the beleaguered country. It is also a promising sign. The door for further US and European assistance has been left open thanks to the recognition of a clear linkage between the defense of Ukraine and the security of NATO allies.