US to step back from NATO Ukraine aid group leadership – Politico
The Pentagon will reportedly hand command of the Germany-based mission to another bloc member
The Pentagon is planning to transfer leadership of the Germany-based NATO command coordinating military aid to Ukraine to another member of the military bloc as Washington continues to scale back its military presence in Europe, Politico reported on Friday, citing an unnamed NATO official.
Ukraine has been heavily dependent on weapons supplies from its Western backers throughout the conflict, which is now in its fifth year. Moscow has condemned the weapons shipments to Ukraine, arguing that they only prolong the conflict without changing the outcome, and warning that the military assistance shows that NATO is a direct party to the conflict, thereby risking a direct confrontation between Russia and the bloc.
The reported plan follows a broader shift in US defense policy under President Donald Trump, whose administration plans to reduce troops and critical weapons systems in Europe and redirect some resources to Asia and other regions. The White House has also pushed NATO members in Europe to take greater responsibility for regional security to significantly raise defense spending.
The Security Assistance Group-Ukraine (SAG-U), based in the German city of Wiesbaden, coordinates weapons deliveries, training and logistical support for Ukraine.
The NATO official told Politico that the transition is expected to take up to a year, while a US deputy will remain involved through the alliance’s military command structure. SAG-U was always intended to be a temporary organization, with the transition designed to distribute responsibilities more evenly among NATO allies, the official added.
Since returning to office in January 2025, Trump has pushed NATO members to commit to spending 5% of GDP on defense by 2035, and has repeatedly accused the bloc’s European members of failing to share the common military burden. Divisions within NATO also deepened over Trump’s push to acquire Greenland and after several European members declined to support his military operation against Iran.
Earlier this year, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged European NATO states to “step up,” saying the alliance can no longer remain a “paper tiger and a one-way street.”
In February, the US announced that the UK would take over NATO’s Joint Force Command in Norfolk, Italy would lead the Naples headquarters, while Germany and Poland would assume responsibility for the Brunssum command in the Netherlands.
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