NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg proposes that annual funding by allies for military assistance should be at least EUR 40 billion annually.

He said this on Friday in Prague at a press conference at the end of an informal meeting of the foreign ministers of the alliance member countries.

"I have proposed that Allies commit to a multi-year financial pledge for Ukraine. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Allies have provided approximately EUR 40 billion worth of military support to Ukraine each year. We must maintain at least this level of support each year, for as long as necessary. I have also proposed that Allies should share this burden equitably. This will improve accountability, and give Ukraine the predictability they need to plan for the long term," Stoltenberg explained his proposal.

He reiterated his belief that NATO should play a greater coordinating role in supplying equipment and training to Ukraine. "Practically all military aid to Ukraine – 99 percent – comes from NATO Allies. So, it makes sense that NATO should play a greater role in these efforts. This will enable us to use the NATO structures to put our support on a firmer footing, provide more predictability to Kyiv, and address both immediate and longer-term needs," the alliance's secretary general said.

Stoltenberg stated that "we all want to stop this war." "But the paradox is that the better we prepare for the long haul, the sooner the war can end. Russia must understand that it cannot wait us out," he said.