The PURL program, through which Ukraine receives modern weapons from the United States, continues to operate as usual. At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that the intensity of hostilities in the Middle East, particularly in Iran, may impact the volume of air defense supplies for Ukraine.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Dependence of Air Defense Supplies on the Situation in the Middle East
The President noted that ensuring Ukraine’s air defense systems remains a key issue for the state. He is in constant contact with international partners and recently discussed the situation with the German Chancellor. According to him, there have been no signals regarding a possible reduction in military aid from the U.S. or European countries. Zelensky stressed that the PURL program is functioning steadily, and efforts are ongoing to attract additional funding from European partners.
“Undoubtedly, this issue concerns us, and that is why we are in contact with our partners. Just 10 minutes ago, I spoke with the German Chancellor and raised this issue as well. So far, there have been no similar signals from the Americans or Europeans. Everyone understands that for us, this is our life, the necessary weapons. For now, the PURL program is working, and I am working to ensure that there are tranches from our European partners. So far, everything is proceeding as it has been,” he said in response to a question about whether the situation around Iran could affect the PURL program, particularly the procurement of scarce PAC-3 interceptor missiles.
The Role of Air Defense in Countering Threats and Statistics on Destroyed Targets
The President noted that the prolonged conflict and high intensity of hostilities may affect the number of air defense systems that Ukraine receives. He reminded that during mass attacks by Russia in the winter, the occupiers used not only cruise missiles but also ballistic missiles. The Ukrainian military received PAC-2 and PAC-3 systems from the U.S. as assistance, with PAC-2 being ineffective against ballistic missiles.
According to the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, over four years of full-scale war, air defense forces have destroyed more than 140,000 enemy aerial targets. Among them are 86 Kh-47 M2 “Kinzhal” aeroballistic missiles, 709 “Kalibr” missiles, 2,459 Kh-101 cruise missiles, 274 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, and 44,700 Shahed strike drones used by Russia for attacks.
In June 2025, the U.S. and NATO signed the PURL agreement (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List). The program involves supplying American weapons to Ukraine funded by contributions from European countries, with NATO coordinating the efforts. According to official data, in 2025, the volume of contributions to PURL amounted to $4.3 billion, of which nearly $1.5 billion was paid in December.