Latvia affirms support for NATO’s new Priority Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative in a call with President Zelenskyy, the leaders of the two countries announced on social media.

PURL allows European allies to directly fund American weapons for Ukraine, bypassing traditional government-to-government aid that faces political delays.

The phone call highlights Europe’s shift toward independent Ukraine support mechanisms that don’t depend on US Congressional approval or political cycles.

“Had a good [phone call] with President @ZelenskyyUa,” Latvian President Rinkēvičs posted on X. “We discussed ongoing efforts to reach just and lasting peace. I also informed about Latvia’s support for new NATO initiative for arming Ukraine (PURL). I also reaffirmed Latvia’s support for speedy EU accession process of Ukraine.”

Zelenskyy confirmed the discussion on his Telegram channel: “We also discussed the new PURL instrument, which is already really working. Latvia is ready to join. Thank you!” He emphasized that reliable peace requires “support from the US and European unity,” adding that “Latvia absolutely principally supports Ukraine’s membership in the EU and NATO. We greatly value this position.”

How PURL changes Ukraine aid

Under PURL, Ukraine compiles priority weapons needs in packages of approximately $500 million. NATO allies then negotiate among themselves to fund specific items directly from US manufacturers, coordinated by Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The mechanism has already proven effective. In early August, Nordic countries committed $1 billion through PURL in just two days. The Netherlands contributed €500 million for Patriot missile components, while Sweden, Norway, and Denmark jointly provided another €500 million.

Building sustainable support

The PURL initiative represents a broader European effort to create Ukraine’s support mechanisms that survive political changes in Washington. As NATO and the US launched the system in July, officials described it as a $10 billion framework allowing continuous weapons deliveries regardless of US domestic politics.

For Ukraine, diversified European support reduces vulnerability to American political cycles while building foundations for long-term security partnerships. Initiatives such as PURL show Europe exploring ways to sustain Ukraine’s military needs, even as traditional aid faces political pressures.

Latvia’s outsized impact

Despite having only 1.9 million citizens, Latvia has become a key driver of European support for Ukraine. The country co-leads the international drone coalition with the United Kingdom, delivering 12,000 drones to Ukraine this year.

Latvia has committed 0.25% of its GDP annually to Ukraine military aid through 2026 — a higher percentage than most larger allies. The country has also trained 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers with plans for another 3,000 next year.

Latvia's parliament adopted a bill on June 19 that prohibits citizens of Russia and Belarus from purchasing real estate in the country, Latvian media reported.

The bill — which carves out exceptions for EU and Latvian permanent residence holders, Belarusian refugees, and repatriates — establishes the new restrictions under the pretenses of protecting the country's national security.

In addition to citizens, the bill prohibits entities that are at least 25% owned by Russian or Belarusian nationals from purchasing property.

"This is a step to limit the influence and presence in Latvia of persons and companies that are adverse to the country,” said Agnese Krasta, an Estonian member of parliament and one of the authors of the initiative.

Latvia, which borders both Russia and Estonia, is widely viewed as one of the most likely targets for a future Russian attack on NATO or the European Union. As the war in Ukraine continues to rage on, Latvia has taken action to increase civil preparedness measures and has drafted plans to relocate a quarter of its population in the case of war.

EU intelligence and security agencies have warned of mounting Russian sabotage operations, including several arson attacks believed to have been coordinated by Moscow.

Latvia joins Finland in imposing a ban on Russians from buying, as Baltic and Nordic countries continue to impose restrictions on Russia over its aggression in the region.

In September 2022, Latvia imposed entry restrictions on Russian citizens as part of a joint agreement with Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Latvia has been one of Ukraine's most vocal backers.

The Baltic state ranks among Europe's top defense spenders, allocating over 3% of GDP to defense in 2025, according to NATO estimates.

Diplomacy in crisis: G7 letdowns reveal limits to Western solidarity on Ukraine

KANANASKIS, Canada — The Group of Seven (G7) Leaders’ Summit ended on June 17 with no joint statement in support of Ukraine, no commitments to provide desperately needed U.S. weapons, and no meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump. The Ukrainian delegation headed into the summit,

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat