Europe to cover Ukraine’s $15billion arms request, NATO chief says

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has voiced confidence that European allies will be able to meet Ukraine’s request for $15.5 billion in funding under the PURL mechanism, which enables Kyiv to purchase US-made weapons.

Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv, Rutte stressed that the funds would be secured, underscoring the shared understanding among allies of their critical importance. “I am absolutely convinced that the money will be found, because we all know how vital it is,” he said, Caliber.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.

At the same time, the NATO chief acknowledged persistent challenges related to the uneven distribution of the financial burden among member states. “Currently, two-thirds of the allies are participating in the PURL program, but there is indeed a problem with burden-sharing,” Rutte noted.

He described the existing imbalance—where some countries make substantial contributions to financing US weapons purchases for the Ukrainian Armed Forces while others contribute little or nothing—as abnormal. “There are individual states that do a lot, many that do something, and a smaller number that do nothing at all. We clearly need a better distribution of funding, and we are working on this,” he emphasized.

Rutte highlighted several nations as key contributors to the PURL program, naming Canada, Norway, Germany, as well as Sweden and the Baltic states.

PURL remains the sole mechanism through which Ukraine can procure weapons from the United States, including interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems.

By Vafa Guliyeva