NATO is considering to establish a permanent envoy position in Kyiv as part of its long-term commitment to Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia, Western officials and U.S. congressional aides familiar with the matter told Foreign Policy.
The plan, expected to be announced at the NATO summit in Washington in July if approved, involves creating a "senior civilian representative" post in Ukraine. This role would be similar to the one NATO had in Afghanistan during its nearly two-decade presence there. The new envoy would coordinate NATO's support for Ukraine, including the delivery of military aid from various Western nations.
This high-profile position would also convey a strong political message to both Ukraine and Russia regarding NATO's commitment to supporting Kyiv as Ukraine seeks permanent NATO membership to strengthen its defense against Russian military aggression.
The proposed move is set against ongoing debates among NATO member countries about whether to deploy their own troops to Ukrainian territory. While this decision could speed up the training and equipping of Ukrainian military, it also risks escalating the situation into a broader confrontation between the West and Russia, potentially even leading to nuclear escalation.
Last week, Russian leader Vladimir Putin warned the West of "serious consequences" after the United States and some major European powers authorized Ukraine to strike military targets inside Russia with Western-supplied weapons.
Putin said on June 5 that Moscow could supply advanced weapons to certain regions to enable strikes against "sensitive" Western targets as a response if Ukraine strikes Russia with Western arms.
Read also: Opinion: NATO states should send non-combat troops to Ukraine
