Nordic countries to supply Ukraine with U.S. weapons under new mechanism

Sweden, Norway, and Denmark announced on Tuesday (5 August) a joint commitment of approximately 5 billion Norwegian kroner (around $486 million) to support Ukraine through a NATO-coordinated initiative aimed at accelerating the delivery of American weapons and strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.

The assistance will be channeled through the newly established Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) – a NATO mechanism designed to ensure the rapid provision of essential defense equipment to Ukraine. A key focus of the program is enhancing Ukraine’s air defense, including the delivery of additional missiles for the Patriot air defense system.

PURL is based on agreements between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Through this mechanism, alliance member states and partners can fund the purchase of American weapons and gear via voluntary contributions. PURL involves Ukraine creating a list of weapons and ammunition based on its critical needs, with new aid packages announced regularly, while NATO oversees the coordination of supplies.

Norway will contribute an initial 1.5 billion kroner to PURL, with Sweden and Denmark co-financing the overall package to reach a total of 5 billion kroner. This funding comes on top of a similar-sized aid package already provided by the Netherlands. Additional packages of comparable value are expected to follow in the coming months.

These assistance packages may include support for air defense systems, ammunition supplies, and other critical military equipment. Each package is estimated at around $500 million, with the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) playing a central role in coordinating the selection, delivery, and servicing of the equipment, including repairs and upgrades of previously supplied systems.

For operational security reasons, the exact contents of the assistance packages are not disclosed.

“This summer, we have witnessed Russia relentlessly continuing its illegal attacks against Ukraine, both along the front line and against civilian targets in cities. With this contribution, we want to ensure Ukraine’s swift access to the necessary equipment while reinforcing NATO’s cooperation on Ukraine’s defense and securing peace on Ukrainian terms,” said Norwegian Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik in the announcement.

The Nordic countries’ pledge comes shortly after the Netherlands unveiled a new aid package for Ukraine, which includes components and missiles for the Patriot system. Meanwhile, Germany confirmed plans last week to deliver two Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. This follows an agreement with the United States allowing Berlin to be prioritized for replacements of the systems it transfers.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that Germany will first dispatch additional Patriot launchers to Ukraine in the coming days, with further system components expected to follow within two to three months. In return, Germany will receive replacement Patriot systems from the US on an expedited basis.

The intensified European support follows recent remarks by US President Donald Trump, who reiterated during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Washington that the United States would no longer provide weapons to Ukraine free of charge. Instead, European allies and Canada are expected to finance future arms deliveries.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Germany recently noted in an interview with EuroPravda that Kyiv initially requested Germany to purchase two Patriot systems from the United States on its behalf. However, the scope of the request has since expanded, with partners now seeking to secure five systems, while Ukraine emphasizes that its actual needs exceed ten Patriot units.

Meanwhile Zelenskyy announced on X that he had a productive conversation with Trump, focusing on efforts to end the war and achieve a fair and lasting peace. Zelenskyy emphasized the urgency of stopping the killings and noted that the war could have ended months ago if Russia had not prolonged it. Both leaders coordinated their positions, discussing the escalation of Russian strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, with Trump being fully briefed on the situation.

The conversation also covered the impact of sanctions on Russia’s weakening economy, as well as joint European efforts, including over one billion dollars pledged by the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark for American weapons for Ukraine. Zelenskyy confirmed that cooperation with NATO allies will continue and mentioned ongoing bilateral defense talks with the U.S., highlighting a draft agreement on drones prepared by Ukraine, which could become one of the strongest defense accords.

Caption: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (CL) and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (CR) stand together with German and Ukrainian soldiers in front of `Patriot` anti-aircraft missile systems during their visit to a military training area in Germany, 11 June 2024. Ukrainina President visits Germany to take part in The Ukraine Recovery Conference 2024 that takes place in Berlin from 11 to 12 June 2024, under the slogan `United in defense. United in recovery. Stronger together.` EPA/JENS BUETTNER / POOL