US seeks extra NATO funding for Ukraine weapons program
Sources said the program faces a shortfall of about $2 billion for weapons packages already approved, though the exact amount Washington will request is unclear.
The United States could ask NATO allies for more money for a weapons-delivery program supporting Ukraine as early as this month, sources familiar with the talks said.
The request would seek additional contributions to NATO's Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List, known as PURL, which allows allied countries to pay for American-made weapons that are then delivered to Kyiv.
Washington has already signaled to some allies that it intends to seek more funding, but the amount it plans to request has not been settled.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing private deliberations, said the program faces a shortfall of about $2 billion for weapons packages that have already been approved.
The United States has kept delivering weapons before receiving full payment from its allies, and the gap could grow if the Pentagon authorizes more shipments, the people said.
The Pentagon has maintained the deliveries even as allied contributions have struggled to keep pace with the flow of American equipment.
Previous deliveries through the initiative have included air defense systems and other equipment needed by Ukrainian forces during Russia's ongoing war.
The planned request signals that US military support for Ukraine continues despite political tensions between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
PURL has become a central part of NATO's effort to strengthen Ukraine's military capabilities.
