U. S. Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whittaker said in an interview with Fox News that Ukraine could emerge as a major supplier of military equipment to European Union countries if they follow through on plans to increase defense spending.

Whittaker explained that once European states commit to raising their defense budgets to five percent of GDP, Ukraine would «certainly become a major supplier of military hardware» to the continent.

The diplomat also stressed that the West should consider Ukraine’s broader economic future, noting that Kyiv will not be able to handle postwar recovery on its own. In his view, rebuilding agriculture, ports, and infrastructure will require significant investment, much of it expected to come from Europe.

At the NATO summit held in The Hague on June 24–25, member states agreed to raise defense spending from the current level of 2% of GDP to 5% by 2035.