BRUSSELS
Several major NATO allies, including the UK, France, Italy, Spain and Canada, blocked a proposal to commit 0.25% of gross domestic product (GDP) annually in military aid to Ukraine, according to a report by the UK-based newspaper The Telegraph.
The report said NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte had hoped to secure agreement on the proposal ahead of the alliance’s upcoming summit in Ankara, Türkiye, but acknowledged this week that the plan lacked sufficient backing to move forward.
“I don’t think this one will be proposed,” Rutte told reporters, according to the report.
The Telegraph said the proposal was aimed at ensuring NATO members provide a minimum level of military support to Kyiv as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues into its fourth year.
According to the report, at least seven NATO member states supported the initiative, particularly countries already spending more than 0.25% of GDP on military assistance to Ukraine.
An unnamed alliance insider quoted by the newspaper said the UK, France, Spain, Italy and Canada were “not very enthusiastic about the idea.”
The report said NATO decisions require unanimous approval from all member states, effectively allowing the countries opposing the proposal to block its adoption.
The reported opposition comes despite Britain being among Ukraine’s largest military donors. The UK has pledged at least £3 billion (about $4 billion) annually in military aid for the foreseeable future, though this remains below the proposed 0.25% GDP threshold.
The Telegraph also noted that criticism has increasingly focused on some larger NATO economies, including France, Italy and Spain, over claims they are not contributing enough compared to smaller allies such as Poland, the Netherlands and Nordic and Baltic countries.
Data cited from the Kiel Institute showed countries including Poland and several Nordic and Baltic states already allocate military aid to Ukraine at or above the proposed benchmark.
Rutte has previously argued that support for Ukraine “is not evenly distributed within NATO,” with some allies “not spending enough” on assistance for Kyiv.
The report comes amid broader debates within NATO over burden-sharing and future support for Ukraine, particularly after US President Donald Trump halted major new US aid donations and pushed European allies to shoulder more of the financial responsibility.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told The Telegraph that Britain “continues to engage with NATO allies on all proposals to ensure the alliance can best support Ukraine.”
