During a joint press conference with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola in Kyiv on 17/9, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine has raised over $2 billion in funding to purchase American weapons through the NATO-led Ukraine Priority Requirements List (PURL) mechanism.

President Zelensky stated that the first two batches of weapons transferred to Kyiv under the new mechanism, each worth $500 million, "will definitely include missiles for the Patriot and HIMARS systems".

The Ukrainian leader also expressed hope that the total amount pledged for PURL would reach about $3.5 billion by October. An anonymous European official said that NATO member states aim to provide $10 billion worth of equipment to Ukraine through this mechanism.

Patrick Turner, NATO's senior representative in Ukraine, confirmed that the first aid packages through PURL are on their way to Ukraine. "4 support packages have been funded and equipment has been shipped," he said.

Metsola and Zelensky shake hands at a joint press conference in Kyiv on 17/9. Photo: AP

Metsola and Zelensky shake hands at a joint press conference in Kyiv on 17/9. Photo: AP

PURL was established by NATO in early August, under which the bloc's European member states and Canada will contribute funds to purchase American weapons for transfer to Ukraine. Each aid package is worth approximately $500 million and includes equipment and ammunition that Ukraine has identified as priorities for its combat operations.

The initiative is based on an agreement reached between US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in July. Trump has long opposed Washington spending billions of USD on aid to Kyiv, and the PURL mechanism is a way for the US to continue supporting Ukraine without direct financial expenditure.

The Trump administration currently only approves arms sales to Ukraine or the transfer of military aid packages approved during the former president Joe Biden's term.

The UK's Financial Times last month cited a document stating that Ukraine pledged to buy $100 billion of US weapons using European funds, in exchange for security guarantees from Washington after Kyiv reaches a peace agreement with Moscow.

Ukraine did not specify the types of weapons it proposed to purchase, but expressed its desire to acquire at least 10 US Patriot air defense systems, along with other missiles and military equipment.

Pham Giang (Reuters)