First aid under the PURL program: Ukraine to receive $500 million worth of weapons
16 September 22:36
The administration of US President Donald Trump has given the green light to the first two military aid packages for Ukraine funded by NATO countries. This was reported by two sources familiar with the situation to Reuters, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
New aid mechanism
For the first time, a tool called the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) will be used. It allows for the supply of weapons from American arsenals with funds provided by NATO countries.
According to sources, US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Albright Colby has already approved up to two shipments worth about $500 million each. In total, it is planned to provide Ukraine with $10 billion worth of weapons under this mechanism.
What is the PURL mechanism?
Funding is provided under the PURL (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List) initiative.
The mechanism provides that:
- Ukraine compiles a list of its most urgent arms needs;
- the document is submitted to NATO;
- partner countries contribute funds to a special account of the Alliance;
- this money is used to purchase American weapons that go directly to Ukraine.
Thus, the program significantly reduces the delivery time and ensures the targeted use of allied funds.
Why it is important
This decision marks a new stage in transatlantic cooperation. Donald Trump, who is trying to find ways to negotiate a settlement to the war, is also demonstrating his willingness to support Kyiv on the battlefield.
“This is exactly what they asked for. A lot of stuff,” one of the sources told Reuters.
According to him, the new supplies will help stabilize the front line.
What Ukraine will get
The exact list of equipment is not disclosed. However, the sources emphasize that the weapons include air defense systems, which Ukraine especially needs due to massive attacks by drones and missiles.
According to experts, Kyiv’s needs have remained unchanged in recent months:
- air defense systems and interceptors;
- missile systems and rockets;
- artillery and ammunition.
One source said that the PURL list was being processed after it was approved by the Pentagon’s political office.
Ukraine’s expectations
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously emphasized that he expects this support to be sustainable. In particular, he called on European partners to allocate approximately 1 billion euros per month for the purchase of weapons under the PURL mechanism.
