On Thursday, following the bloc's summit in the US, NATO published its Washington Summit Declaration which outlined a $40 billion support package for Ukraine for 2025 alone. Further commitments are to be discussed at the bloc's summit in the Netherlands next year.
Officials told the newspaper that up until next year Kiev will not be prepared to launch a counteroffensive or occupy considerable territory. They also said that the arsenals, provided to Kiev by the West, are expected to take weeks if not months to be delivered to the combat zone, while some of the promised weapons are yet to be purchased or manufactured.
The support package is expected to enable Ukraine to push back against Russia in 2025 while it receives more munition and weapons from the West and transfers its forces closer to the front lines, the NYT reported, citing a senior NATO official.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in June that Russia would cease fire and start talks with Ukraine as soon as Kiev withdrew troops from Russia-controlled regions and abandoned plans to join NATO. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the proposal, calling it an ultimatum.
Western countries have been providing massive military and financial aid to Kiev since the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The Kremlin has consistently warned against continued arms deliveries to Ukraine, saying it would lead to further escalation of the conflict.