BRUSSELS, February 3. /TASS/. One-third of NATO countries are as yet unwilling to participate in arms purchases for Ukraine from the US under the PURL framework, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte admitted at a press conference in Kiev.
"You are right: we have problems in terms of burden sharing. Some allies are doing a lot, others are doing something, and a few are doing nothing," he said in response to a question about what NATO is doing to meet Kiev’s request for €15 billion worth of weapons.
"I am fully convinced that the money will come. We all know that it is necessary. Two-thirds of our allies are currently participating in the program," Rutte said, calling for a solution to the problem of "burden sharing" in supporting Kiev among NATO countries.
The PURL program was established by NATO last summer following the US decision to stop providing free weapons to Kiev. Under the program, Ukraine defines its military needs, EU countries allocate funds, purchase weapons from the US, and transfer them to Ukraine free of charge.