On Wednesday, Germany pledged over $2 billion in military aid to Ukraine, with Kyiv indicating a need for $120 billion in 2026 to address ongoing Russian aggression.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced the procurement of $500 million in U.S. weapons for Ukraine through a new programme aimed at expediting military support. Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, and Sweden plan to participate in this funding initiative.
The aid package will meet several urgent needs, including air defence systems, Patriot missile interceptors, radar systems, precision-guided artillery, and ammunition. Additionally, Germany will supply two Iris-T air defence systems, guided missiles, shoulder-fired air defence missiles, anti-tank weapons, and communication devices.
During the summer months, the transatlantic alliance effectively coordinated routine deliveries of substantial weapons packages to Ukraine, aimed at bolstering its defence against Russian aggression. The objective was to dispatch at least one shipment each month, with each package valued at approximately $500 million. With European arsenals nearing depletion, the United States remains the primary source of the essential weaponry that Ukraine requires.
Under the framework known as the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), European allies and Canada are procuring American weapons to support Ukraine’s efforts, with allocations totalling around $2 billion since August. Finland’s Defence Minister, Antti Häkkänen, has announced the country’s decision to join PURL, underscoring the importance of ensuring Ukraine receives critical U.S. military supplies. Additionally, Finland will contribute its own military equipment package. Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson has indicated Sweden’s readiness to increase its support and has encouraged further discussions among Nordic and Baltic nations to coordinate additional military assistance.
Germany’s pledge came after a NATO meeting in Brussels, where allies discussed increasing military support for Ukraine. Ukrainian Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal outlined the country’s defence needs for the upcoming year at $120 billion, with Ukraine covering $60 billion from national resources and seeking assistance from partner nations for the remainder. He urged allies to allocate at least 0.25% of their GDP toward military aid, particularly for urgent air defence systems. Shmyhal highlighted that Russia launched over 5,600 drones and 180 missiles in the past month, emphasising the critical need for equipment to protect against these threats, especially as winter approaches.
After data revealed a significant decline in foreign military aid, new pledges of support for Ukraine were announced. According to Germany’s Kiel Institute, aid dropped by 43% in July and August compared to the first half of the year, despite the PURL programme.
Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur also noted a marked decrease in U.S. contributions to Ukraine this year. U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasised the need for nations to convert intentions into military capabilities, stating that “hard power is the only factor that belligerents respect.”
The Trump administration has not supplied military equipment to Ukraine and is considering the potential deployment of Tomahawk long-range missiles, dependent on a de-escalation of Russian military actions. However, funding for these weapons, if approved, remains uncertain.
Criticism has mounted that France, Italy and Spain aren’t doing enough to help Ukraine, and Häkkänen called on all 32 NATO allies to take on their “fair share of the burden,” saying that “everyone has to find the money because this is a crucial moment.” France and Italy are mired in debt and struggling to raise money to meet NATO’s defence spending targets. Spain says it has other economic concerns and insists that it makes up for its spending gap at NATO by deploying troops on the alliance’s missions. France also believes that European money should be spent on Europe’s defence industry, not in the United States, and it doesn’t intend to take part in PURL.
(This article used information from the Associated Press)
