NATO to centralize military aid and training for Ukraine through new headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany
From Friday, July 12, the supply of arms to Ukraine and the training of Ukrainian soldiers in Europe will begin to be coordinated through a new NATO headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany, as decided at the Alliance Summit in Washington, dpa reported.
According to sources, despite the formal start, it might take several months for the Supreme Allied Commander Europe to fully operate the headquarters in a way that allows it to handle all planned tasks.
Meanwhile, coordination will continue through the US Armed Forces. A specialized unit of 300 military personnel called the "Security Assistance Group-Ukraine (SAG-U)" was formed for this purpose at the headquarters of the US Command at the end of 2022. This unit will be succeeded by the NATO headquarters in Wiesbaden, which will consist of 700 staff, including 40 Germans.
The new headquarters, known as NSATU (NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine), will also aid Ukraine in further aligning with the North Atlantic Alliance. “In terms of international law, NSATU will not make NATO a participant in the conflict,” allies stated following the Washington Summit.
"The goal is to establish security assistance for Ukraine on a permanent basis to ensure improved, predictable, and coordinated support," the NATO countries’ statement reads. The plan approved at the summit, according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, ensures that Ukraine will continue to receive aid even if Donald Trump wins the US presidential election in November 2024.