NATO chief confident funding for US-made weapons for Ukraine will be fully delivered

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is confident that funding for US-made weapons for the Armed Forces of Ukraine under the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) programme will be provided as planned.

Rutte emphasised at a press conference in Brussels that the ambitious funding volumes cited by Ukraine – over US$15 billion – are entirely feasible.

"I am absolutely confident that the flow of vital US equipment into Ukraine will continue to go. As I said yesterday, this is about 90% of the critical air defence needs of Ukraine when it comes to the Patriots," he said.

Rutte did not specify which countries he expects to see as PURL donors. "I am absolutely confident that it will continue to flow and we will be able to raise enough money to do that," he said.

"We will do our utmost to make sure that the money is there," Rutte added.

On 12 February, the UK announced an additional £500 million in urgent air-defence aid for Ukraine.

Sweden is also preparing a new contribution for PURL.

Earlier, Alona Hetmanchuk, Ukraine's ambassador to NATO, listed six countries that have provided the most support under this programme.