Ukraine Struggles to Find More NATO Donors to Pay for US Weapons

Article content(Bloomberg) — Ukraine is struggling to secure fresh commitments from NATO allies to purchase US weapons for the war-torn country, Kyiv’s envoy to the military alliance said. Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentCurrently, a small handful of countries are paying for the bulk of the weapons, and the UK is the only contributor that has recently joined the fold, Ukrainian NATO Ambassador Alyona Getmanchuk told Bloomberg. It’s becoming difficult for Ukraine to approach the same few countries over and over, she added.Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentArticle contentThe reluctance is compounding Ukraine’s growing financial predicament as Russia’s invasion grinds through its fifth year and peace talks stall. Hungary is separately blocking the release of a crucial €90 billion ($104 billion) European Union loan for Ukraine, and a political spat in Ukraine’s parliament is threatening to delay International Monetary Fund aid payments.Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentFor now, though, US military equipment is still arriving in Ukraine, despite the war in Iran sucking up resources.Article content“Military kit deliveries from the US to Ukraine are not affected as of now,” Getmanchuk said. Kyiv “has received no signal” Washington can’t deliver weapons due to the Iran conflict, she said.Article contentUkraine is receiving US weapons under a program, known as PURL, that was created after President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year and cut off aid to Kyiv. The initiative allows European countries and Canada to pay for US military equipment that then goes to Ukraine. Article contentKyiv has estimated it needs $15 billion in 2026 for these US purchases. The country had offered a similar number for 2025 but only received $4.3 billion in December.Article contentArticle contentSo far, Ukraine has received supplies in $500 million packages. That means future deliveries could be held up as Kyiv searches for pledges to collectively hit that amount. NATO allies are considering changing the approach to let Ukraine collect the aid as individual pledges are made, according to people familiar with the matter. Article contentThat approach may be harder for countries to sell domestically, but would ensure Ukraine receives a more steady supply of weapons, the people said, speaking anonymously to discuss the sensitive subject.Article contentIn response to a request for comment, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization official said allies were contributing to the PURL program and that equipment was regularly arriving in Ukraine. Article contentUkraine’s most pressing need is still air defense, particularly equipment that can intercept ballistic missiles, Getmanchuk said. If they can’t get this from the US, the only alternative is donations from other country’s stockpiles, which is difficult, she added.Article contentGulf countries could be another option, the ambassador said. They have expressed interest in Ukraine’s drone interceptors, she noted, and the country is currently making twice as many as it needs. Trending Meet the Canadian e-bike maker who is redefining the factory floor Electric Vehicles LNG Canada signs key pipeline agreement required for phase two expansion Energy Canada’s economic performance has been lagging the U.S. for years, and Statistics Canada delves into why Economy Why market bets for interest rate hikes in Canada are so high Economy Wealthsimple receives regulatory approval to offer prediction markets to investors Fintech Article content“Ideally, Ukraine wants to exchange them for help with intercepting ballistic and cruise missiles,” Getmanchuk said. “It can be either missiles themselves, or funds to purchase them.”Article contentEuropean countries may also be holding back because the EU loan package could be unblocked in the coming weeks, according to a person familiar with the matter. The funds would allow Ukraine to purchase US weapons not available in Europe, taking some pressure off EU governments to make separate pledges.Article contentHungary has said it will lift its veto once Ukraine repairs a Moscow-damaged pipeline that delivers Russia fuel to the country — a stance many officials say is tied to Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Ukraine-bashing election campaign.Article contentShare this article in your social networkCommentsYou must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.Create an AccountSign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Meet the Canadian e-bike maker who is redefining the factory floor Electric Vehicles LNG Canada signs key pipeline agreement required for phase two expansion Energy Canada’s economic performance has been lagging the U.S. for years, and Statistics Canada delves into why Economy Why market bets for interest rate hikes in Canada are so high Economy Wealthsimple receives regulatory approval to offer prediction markets to investors Fintech