Trump Reportedly Plans to Continue Supporting Ukraine and Could Urge Raise NATO Spending to 5%

The new US administration is expected to continue supporting Ukraine, according to Financial Times citing European officials on December 20.

Donald Trump’s team indicated that the incoming US president would push NATO member states to increase defense spending to 5% of their GDP while maintaining military aid to Kyiv.

According to individuals familiar with the discussions, senior foreign policy aides to the president-elect conveyed his intentions during recent talks with high-ranking European officials. These discussions are part of efforts to outline Trump’s policy toward Europe and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

During his White House campaign, Trump pledged to end US support for Ukraine, demand Kyiv begin immediate peace negotiations, and withdraw protection for NATO allies unless they increased their defense expenditures.

However, in a move aimed at reassuring allies deeply concerned about their capacity to support and defend Ukraine without US backing, Trump reportedly plans to continue military aid to Kyiv after his inauguration, according to three sources familiar with discussions with Western officials.

Trump also intends to demand NATO raise its current target of 2% of GDP for defense spending—achieved by only 23 of the alliance's 32 members—to 5.

Important European NATO allies, including France, Germany, the UK, Italy, and Poland, met on December 18 in Brussels with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss how the continent will adapt its defense policy in response to Trump's return, Financial Times reports.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz separately held a phone conversation with Trump on Thursday during the EU leaders' summit and later stated that he was fully confident that the US and Europe would continue to support Ukraine, according to the publication.

It was previously reported that Keith Kellogg, nominated by US President-elect Donald Trump as special envoy for Ukraine, will travel to Kyiv in early January.