Europe Buys $1.5B in U.S. Weapons for Ukraine in One Month

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that NATO member states purchased $1.5 billion worth of U.S. weapons for Ukraine in the past month.

Speaking during an unannounced visit to Kyiv on August 22, Rutte emphasized that European allies remain committed to arming Ukraine despite recent policy changes in Washington.

“Our support is unwavering and continues to grow. Including, as you said, through the new Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List – PURL – that supports a crucial flow of lethal U.S. weapons to Ukraine through funding provided by NATO Allies,” he said at a joint press conference with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “In less than one month indeed, this has already meant an additional $1.5 billion of essential equipment. Air defence. Ammunition. And more. Further packages will follow.”

Rutte outlined that NATO intends to continue deliveries of air defense systems, ammunition, and other military supplies through European financing. He also stated that after the conflict, the alliance plans to expand Ukraine’s armed forces and establish new defense production facilities inside the country.

Earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Washington would no longer provide weapons free of charge to Kyiv but would sell them instead, with payments covered largely by European governments. “The United States no longer provides weapons to the Kyiv regime but intends to sell them, receiving money from Europe,” Rubio said on Tuesday.

The announcement comes amid ongoing debates about Ukraine’s future security framework. U.S. President Donald Trump has previously ruled out Ukrainian membership in NATO, while stressing that Washington and Europe are working on “robust security guarantees” for Kyiv outside of the alliance.

During the press briefing in Kyiv, Rutte addressed questions about the failures of past agreements, such as the Budapest Memorandum, noting that new guarantees would be structured to ensure enforceability. “We clearly know what it should not be,” he said, adding that guarantees must be strong enough to deter Russia from renewed aggression.

The NATO chief also confirmed that allies are studying lessons from the war and coordinating closely with Ukraine through joint commands in Germany and Poland. He added that further packages of U.S.-made weapons, funded by European allies, will follow.

The latest announcements underscore a shift in transatlantic military policy: while the U.S. reduces its role in direct arms provision, Europe is financing large-scale acquisitions from American stockpiles to sustain Kyiv’s battlefield needs.