NATO countries will provide over $7 million to support women in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense on Facebook.
At the NATO "Women, Peace, Security" roundtable during the Alliance summit, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced NATO's support for Ukrainian women service members.
The aid package will include over 10,000 units of uniforms, footwear, and other necessary equipment.
"Too often, Ukrainian servicewomen do not have the gear they need to meet their unique needs fully. Today, we are taking a step to correct this by announcing that NATO member countries will allocate over $7 million to purchase equipment for women in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. We applaud every ally who stepped up to help with this initiative," Blinken stated.
Negotiations with NATO for additional funding for the production of women's military uniforms and body armor for the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been ongoing since 2023, reaching significant progress in March 2024 during a meeting between Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defense Natalia Kalmykova, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security Irene Fellin, and Head of the NATO Representation to Ukraine Karen McTier, the ministry reported.
At that time, the parties agreed on experience exchange, consultations, and mutual assistance in implementing gender equality principles in Ukraine's security and defense forces, as well as significant financial aid to ensure women service members have the necessary gear and equipment.
