NATO Pledges New Ukraine Military Aid, Debates New Bases

Eastern Europe Bases Expected to Be Finalized Friday

Today’s NATO summit focused almost entirely on the ongoing war in Eastern Ukraine, and even though a ceasefire seems to be just hours from being finalized, NATO has pledged $19 million in additional military aid to Ukraine to fight the rebels.

NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen sought to downplay the ceasefire deal, saying it was likely some sort of Russian trick and shouldn’t be trusted. The US, for it’s part, lauded the Ukrainian president for agreeing to the Russian-proposed ceasefire, but then condemned Russia.

NATO still remains divided on sending “lethal aid” to Ukraine, and the $19 million is just a token to express their support for continuing the war in the nation’s east.

NATO’s real hope for cashing in on the Ukraine war is to use it as a justification for massive new military bases in Eastern Europe. In that regard the deal isn’t finalized, though bases in Poland and the Baltic states are expected, and the plan is expected to be finalized on Friday.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.