NATO secretary general dismisses claims about US redirecting weapons intended for Ukraine to Middle East

US weapons supplied to Ukraine under NATO's Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) programme, including air defence systems and interceptor missiles, will continue to be delivered despite the needs of the war in the Middle East.

Source: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during the presentation of his 2025 annual report at NATO headquarters in Brussels, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Rutte said that weapons supplied under the PURL mechanism will continue to reach Ukraine without interruption and will not be redirected to the Middle East.

"I can assure you that the critical support from the United States into Ukraine, paid for by allies – this famous abbreviation PURL – continues to flow," he said when asked by a journalist to comment on media reports that the Pentagon is considering redirecting weapons already ordered for Ukraine under the PURL programme, including air defence interceptor missiles, to the Middle East.

Rutte noted this concerns interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems as well as other military equipment critical for Ukraine.

He said that alongside the intelligence the US shares with Ukraine, deliveries under PURL are "crucial".

Meanwhile, Rutte stated that he could not provide full details about specific weapons deliveries during a public briefing.

Quote: "Since the launch, PURL has now supplied 75% of all missiles for Ukraine's Patriot batteries and 90% of the ammunition used in other air defence systems. So this is an important programme continuing to flow."

Background:

• The Washington Post recently reported that the US is considering redirecting weapons intended for Ukraine, including air defence missiles, to the Middle East.
• Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space, said about 800 US-made interceptor missiles had been used in three days in the Middle East, more than the roughly 700 missiles Ukraine had used over the winter period.
• Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said earlier that she was concerned that weapons and defence capabilities needed by Ukraine, including air defence systems, are currently being redirected to the Middle East.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier that the situation in the Middle East has not yet affected deliveries of US weapons to Ukraine under the PURL initiative, above all missiles for air defence systems.

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