MOSCOW, July 14. /TASS/. Several NATO countries’ reluctance to continue funding military assistance to Ukraine signals a growing rift within the alliance, Dmitry Belik, a member of the State Duma’s Committee on International Affairs, has told TASS.

Earlier, Reuters reported that Germany plans to finance the purchase of 50,000 Skyfall attack drones for Ukraine, equipped with software for automatic target tracking. The contract is valued at around €90 million. Meanwhile, Slovakia’s President, Peter Pellegrini, commented on the outcomes of the NATO summit in Ankara, noting that several member states - namely Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic - are refusing to allocate funds for Ukraine’s military support.

"The reluctance of certain NATO members to fund military aid for Ukraine reflects deeper divisions within the alliance," Belik explained. "NATO is not a monolithic entity. The refusal to support Kiev’s military needs is not coincidental but a symptom of underlying contradictions: differing ideological stances, foreign policy priorities, fatigue from ongoing conflicts, domestic economic challenges, and strategic disagreements."

He further pointed out that domestic political considerations and the need to prioritize social and economic expenditures also play a role.

"In many countries, governments are under pressure from their citizens, especially amid high inflation, energy crises, and economic instability. Voters are demanding more attention to their own problems, and the protracted conflict in Ukraine diminishes public support for funneling taxpayer funds into foreign military aid. This development sends a concerning signal to Kiev: the fragmentation of Western backing."

Germany remains Ukraine’s largest supporter. The German government has previously reported that Berlin has provided approximately €39 billion in humanitarian aid and €55 billion in military assistance to Kiev since February 24, 2022. Russia has repeatedly argued that arms supplies to Ukraine only serve to prolong the conflict.