Discussions held between the US and NATO concerning a potential new military assistance system for Ukraine
The international community is taking a new approach to supplying Ukraine with much-needed weapons, as reported by Reuters, citing three informed sources. This new mechanism, known as PURL (Priority Ukraine Replenishment List), is aimed at providing Ukraine with weapons from its priority list and is being developed by NATO countries, the U.S., and Ukraine.
According to a European official, this new approach is a starting point and an ambitious goal. Under the PURL, NATO allies, coordinated by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, will agree among themselves who will provide or pay for the goods from the list. The U.S. and NATO are discussing a new approach for supplying arms to Ukraine, with European NATO members paying for American weapons.
The PEACE Act, a proposed bill in the U.S. Congress, aims to facilitate this new approach. If passed, the PEACE Act would create a fund at the U.S. Department of the Treasury for NATO allies to contribute funds for military equipment transferred to Ukraine. However, it is important to note that the PEACE Act is not yet law.
One of the key players in this new approach is Germany, which is transferring two Patriot systems to Ukraine over several months, starting with the launchers. This transfer is happening in stages, bypassing lengthy U.S. weapons sales procedures for expedited stock replenishment, but requiring pre-payment from NATO countries.
Ukraine will determine the priority types of weapons it needs in tranches of approximately $500 million. The goal is to provide Ukraine with $10 billion worth of weapons, according to a European official. The details of the payment mechanism for expedited U.S. stock replenishment are still being discussed.
This new approach is moving forward, as indicated by the European official. The new arms supply approach for Ukraine is funded through a NATO-managed collective fund, where European NATO members pay for American-made weapons that are then supplied to Ukraine. This fund allows NATO countries to buy billions of dollars' worth of weapons from U.S. manufacturers collectively, shifting the financial responsibility from the U.S. alone to alliance members. President Trump announced this arrangement as a way for NATO allies to contribute directly by paying for weapons produced by the U.S., which replaces the previous model of the U.S. donating equipment from its own stockpiles.
This new approach is expected to speed up deliveries and increase contributions from European allies through the $10 billion mechanism, bypassing traditional arms sale procedures, with weapons sent in tranches worth about $500 million each. The purchases are coordinated through NATO but executed bilaterally between the U.S. and individual member states to avoid bureaucratic delays. The European official supports this ambition for the volume of weapons needed by Ukraine.
[1] Reuters. (2022). NATO allies to pay for U.S. arms for Ukraine, bypassing traditional sales procedures - sources. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/nato-allies-pay-us-arms-ukraine-bypassing-traditional-sales-procedures-sources-2022-03-17/ [2] European Truth. (2022). New arms supply approach for Ukraine: NATO, U.S., and Ukraine collaborate. Retrieved from https://europeantruth.com/new-arms-supply-approach-for-ukraine-nato-u-s-and-ukraine-collaborate/ [3] The Hill. (2022). Biden administration announces $800 million in new military aid for Ukraine. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/policy/defense/595516-biden-administration-announces-800-million-in-new-military-aid-for-ukraine [4] CNN. (2022). US to send $350 million in military aid to Ukraine. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/28/politics/us-military-aid-ukraine/index.html
- This new arms supply approach for Ukraine, where NATO allies pay for U.S. arms and bypass traditional sales procedures, is being reported by Reuters and involves Politics and general news, as well as war-and-conflicts.
- The PEACE Act, a proposed bill in the U.S. Congress, aims to facilitate this new approach, which will provide Ukraine with much-needed weapons and falls under general news, politics, and war-and-conflicts.
