NATO to allow Ukraine to procure weapons and ammunition faster and cheaper

Ukraine is launching a partnership with the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), which will open up an additional channel for military procurement.

According to The Financial Times, the partnership will allow Ukraine to procure weapons, ammunition and military equipment through the NSPA. This could speed up deliveries and reduce costs, while allowing Kyiv to rely less on bilateral negotiations with other countries.

"It provides Ukraine with the ability to have a more structured framework to leverage a broad range of capabilities that we offer: procurement expertise, support services and access to established industrial base," Jacqueline Borsboom, NSPA director of support to operations, told the FT.

She said that large-scale purchases could help save money through economies of scale. For example, Ukraine could ask the agency to procure 30,000 military uniforms.

Aliona Hetmanchuk, Head of the Mission of Ukraine to NATO, expressed hope that the new partnership would become an "important gateway into NATO's defence industrial ecosystem" for Ukraine and provide "expanded access" to contracts managed by the agency.

The NSPA handles the procurement of weapons and military equipment, as well as logistics support, for Alliance members and partners. It organises joint procurement, military equipment maintenance and the supply of necessary goods. The agency is headquartered in Luxembourg.

According to the FT, in April 2026, NATO allowed Ukrainian defence companies to participate in NSPA tenders. This gave Ukrainian manufacturers the opportunity to compete for contracts to supply products to the agency.

The FT reports that last week the NSPA held an industry event in Kyiv attended by around 150 Ukrainian companies. Manufacturers were shown how to register as suppliers meeting the agency's requirements and participate in tenders.

On 19 October, Zelenskyy said the US Department of War is delaying the delivery of resources Ukraine needs.

In response, Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that interceptor missiles remain the most sought-after type of weaponry in the world, which could lead to delays in deliveries.