Belgium Allocates €100 Mln for US Weapons for Ukraine

Belgium has announced it will allocate €100 million to purchase US-made weapons for Ukraine, as part of the NATO-backed PURL mechanism designed to supply Kyiv with American arms funded by European allies.

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot confirmed the decision ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, stating that the funds will go toward additional military assistance for Ukraine under the program.

The PURL initiative allows NATO member states to finance the purchase of US defense systems for Ukraine, ensuring continued weapons deliveries despite growing strain on supply chains.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously warned that Ukraine could face difficulties securing missiles and air defense systems amid broader geopolitical tensions, including US military operations in other regions. He has also raised concerns over delays in the delivery of Patriot air defense systems under the same funding mechanism.

Russia has repeatedly criticized Western arms deliveries to Ukraine, arguing that they obstruct peace negotiations and directly involve NATO countries in the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that any weapons shipments to Ukraine could be considered legitimate military targets by Russian forces.