Rutte urges EU not to limit arms purchases for Ukraine under "buy European" rule

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has urged EU countries not to tie themselves to the principles of "buy European" or "buy Ukrainian" when it comes to spending a €90 billion loan to support the Ukrainian military, but instead to purchase the weapons Ukraine actually needs, particularly from the United States.

Rutte is calling on the EU to procure weapons for Ukraine based on its real needs, without adhering rigidly to the "buy European" or "buy Ukrainian" rules.

"The €90 billion loan package will make a massive difference to Ukraine's security. It will make a massive difference to Ukraine's prosperity. But here, I would strongly urge you to ensure flexibility in how these funds can be spent and not to be overly restrictive with 'buy in the EU caveats'," Rutte said.

He added that he understands that "Europe is now building its defence industry, and that is vital".

"But it [Europe] cannot, at the moment, provide nearly enough of what Ukraine needs to defend itself today and to deter [Russia] tomorrow. So, as you take this loan forward, please, I encourage you to keep Ukraine's needs first in focus," the NATO secretary general said.

He stressed that if certain weapons can be purchased in Europe or Ukraine, that should be "priority one".

"But we all know that without this flow of weaponry from the US, we cannot keep Ukraine in the fight. Literally no," Rutte is convinced.

He recalled that the United States is currently providing, for example, "essential interceptors, for example, to take down as many missiles as possible, going into Kyiv, Kharkiv and other cities night by night".

"NATO and the EU are now working hand in hand, both in Brussels and in Kyiv, to help Ukraine. Our coordination of military aid, the training of Ukrainian Armed Forces, the efforts, of course, to boost the Ukrainian defence industry, they are all very much complementary. And we need to keep it up," the NATO secretary general emphasised.

On 20 January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was concerned that deepening confrontation between the United States and European countries would undermine Ukraine's air defence capabilities.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said that a total of 24 countries have already joined the PURL initiative, under which states purchase weapons from the US for Ukraine.

It was also previously reported that the Pentagon had signed a contract to triple the production of Patriot missiles.

Ukraine is known to be seeking to order 27 Patriot air defence systems from the US.