The Trump administration has approved weapons aid packages for Ukraine worth up to $1 billion, with NATO allies paying for American arms shipments to Kyiv rather than the United States funding the assistance directly.

Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby approved up to two $500 million shipments under a mechanism called the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.

The renewed transatlantic cooperation aims to provide Ukraine with up to $10 billion worth of weapons.

The sources declined to provide a complete inventory of approved items but confirmed the packages include air defense systems. Ukraine requires these systems urgently given a huge increase in Russian drone and missile attacks.

“It’s the stuff they’ve been asking for. A lot of stuff,” one source told the news agency, adding that the flow has allowed Ukraine to “stabilize the lines thus far.”

What is PURL?

Trump announced the initiative on 14 July, confirming the United States would provide Ukraine with weapons worth “billions of dollars” that European NATO allies would purchase and distribute. The president specifically mentioned preparing up to 17 Patriot air defense systems for shipment to Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte described Trump’s decision as “quite logical” and said Trump called him on 10 July to explain that Ukraine should receive “everything necessary for self-defense,” but that Europeans should finance the assistance.

By 31 August, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that seven countries had supported the PURL initiative, with total commitments reaching $2 billion. Defense experts indicate Ukraine’s requirements remain consistent with previous months, focusing on air defenses, interceptors, missile systems, rockets, and artillery.

The State Department has approved a potential $179.1 million Foreign Military Sale to Ukraine for Patriot Air Defense System sustainment equipment and services, according to an announcement from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency on 29 August.

The package includes classified and unclassified spare parts, maintenance support, software updates, system modifications, test equipment, and communication accessories. Additional components cover integration services, repair capabilities, technical assistance, training programs, and engineering support.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe,” the State Department stated in its transmittal notice.

The deal aims to enhance Ukraine’s air defense capabilities through sustained operational readiness of existing Patriot systems. RTX Corporation of Arlington, Virginia, and Lockheed Martin of Bethesda, Maryland, will serve as principal contractors for the program.

Implementation requires approximately five US Government representatives and fifteen contractor personnel to travel to US European Command for training and coordination meetings. The State Department emphasized that “there will be no adverse impact on US defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.”

In a separate approval, the State Department authorized a $150 million sale of Starlink satellite communication services and related equipment to Ukraine, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announcement.

The Patriot sustainment package represents ongoing US efforts to maintain Ukraine’s defensive systems rather than expanding its arsenal.

Actual costs may be lower than the estimated $179.1 million depending on final requirements and budget authority. The State Department indicated that “Ukraine will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces.”

The announcement specified that no offset agreements are currently proposed, though any such arrangements would be negotiated between Ukraine and the contractors. Congress received the required certification notice as part of the standard Foreign Military Sale process.