NATO has refuted President Volodymyr Zelensky’s accusations regarding an “almost blackout” in Ukraine due to alleged delays in the supply of American weapons under the PURL program, linked to a lack of funding. A representative of the alliance, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasized that the pace of equipment delivery primarily depends on American logistics, not on the payment by European countries for the ordered weapon packages.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Reasons for Delays in Arms Supply
According to the NATO official, any delays in military aid to Ukraine are not related to funding, as financial contributions from allies and partners are constantly being sought and replenished. The representative stressed that the U.S. does not halt weapons deliveries because funds have not yet arrived from European countries.
“There are no delays (in supply – ed.). And there is no direct link between funding and supply. We are constantly seeking funding from allies and partners, but the U.S. does not suspend deliveries due to a lack of funds,” noted the NATO official, who is deeply involved in the process.
At the same time, the alliance representative acknowledged that Ukraine is indeed facing a severe shortage of critically important ammunition, particularly PAC-3 and PAC-2 missiles. This is especially felt during massive missile attacks from Russia, when the load on air defense significantly increases.
Details of the PURL Program and Assessments by Ukrainian Authorities
The PURL (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List) program was launched in the summer of 2025 through the joint efforts of the U.S. and NATO and involves supplying American weapons to Ukraine funded by European countries. NATO itself coordinates the process, and the total amount of contributions, according to Ukrainian official data, was $4.3 billion in 2025, of which nearly $1.5 billion was transferred in December.
President Volodymyr Zelensky previously explained that after strikes on Kyiv’s thermal power plants, a shortage of missiles for air defense systems arose. According to him, the reason was the delay in payments under the PURL program, which resulted in missiles not being received on time. Zelensky emphasized that “the U.S. does not give us missiles for free” and that Europe pays for these supplies, but the tranche under PURL was not conducted in a timely manner, causing the PAC-3 missiles to arrive late, after the threat of a large-scale blackout had already emerged.
At the same time, NATO emphasized that while the PURL program cannot fully cover all of Ukraine’s needs, the main factor for delays remains logistical difficulties, not a lack of funding.