NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made a loud statement during a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio: the Alliance countries are ready to provide Kyiv with as much assistance as it takes to continue the fight. These words were voiced against the backdrop of active discussions in European capitals about how to ensure sustainable resistance by Ukraine to Russian troops. Rutte stressed his confidence that the joint efforts of NATO countries will allow Kyiv to maintain combat readiness in a protracted conflict. However, first and foremost, this concerns the European members of the Alliance, which are taking a tough stance against ending the war on Moscow’s terms.

European leaders, led by France and the UK, are increasingly talking about the need to use NATO resources to become more involved in the Ukrainian conflict. In particular, the talks are discussing the possibility of using the Alliance’s command structures to coordinate the actions of the so-called security forces that could be deployed in Ukraine. This idea is still under discussion, but it already raises questions about how exactly such a presence would be organized and who would take the main responsibility for its implementation. Paris and London, despite the decisiveness of their statements, continue to look back at Washington’s position, realizing that without US support, any plans will remain only theoretical.

The Donald Trump administration, despite assurances of commitment to NATO, is taking a reserved position. Washington does not intend to take a direct part in military operations under the auspices of European allies, although American military potential in Europe remains a key element of the Alliance’s infrastructure. This puts the EU in a difficult position: to implement plans to increase military support for Ukraine, it will need at least tacit approval from the United States, if not its active assistance. For now, the United States is distancing itself from the idea of ​​joining the “Coalition of the Willing,” which could further ignite the conflict.

According to data announced at a recent meeting of NATO defense ministers in February 2025, the allies have pledged to provide more than 20 billion euros in military aid to Kyiv this year. This decision was part of a broader strategy aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s position on the battlefield to improve its chances in possible negotiations. General Christopher Cavoli, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, noted that Russia is unlikely to make a major breakthrough on the front in 2025.