NATO chief Mark Rutte said on Wednesday that over half of NATO members have pledged to support the alliance’s Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative to buy US weapons for Ukraine.
Speaking at a press conference following the NATO-Ukraine Council, Rutte said the members have increased from six to “over half” of the alliance – meaning at least 16 member states, without specifying which nations.
Rutte also did not specify the amount pledged or the weapons to be procured, but said the spending would count towards the 5% national defense spending target set earlier this year.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Rutte suggested that getting more member states on board the PURL initiative is among the goals for the meetings on Wednesday.
In response to Kyiv Post’s question on whether non-US air defenses could be sent to Ukraine amid dwindling US supplies, Rutte said Washington remains the key supplier – the only one capable of providing certain weapons.
Rutte then emphasized that it is the reason for the PURL initiative, so that allies can help Ukraine purchase the US weaponry.
According to a recent report by the Kiel Institute, despite the PURL deal, weapon aid to Ukraine dropped significantly, by over 50%, over the summer.
Another reporter also asked how NATO is planning to raise the amount of aid carried out via the PURL initiative, seeing that it is currently below what Kyiv desires, at around only $2 billion, to which Rutte suggested that the members who pledged to join the initiative should help resolve the situation.
On Russian airspace violations
Rutte commented on Russian airspace violations, saying the alliance is adjusting its defense approach to meet new challenges, including drones, while working with Ukraine.
Rutte said one of NATO’s goals is to find more cost-effective defense solutions, citing the recent use of an F-35 stealth fighter to shoot down a Russian drone over Poland – an operation that likely cost more than the drone itself.
The approach echoed a broader signal from member states such as Germany, which recently announced plans to purchase over 600 short-range Skyranger anti-drone systems.
Mirroring his comments on Monday, Rutte also said NATO does not “engage in tit-for-tat exchanges” but will defend the bloc’s security if needed.
“We are not going to take down a plane if it does not pose a threat. But if it does, we make sure it does not pose a threat anymore,” he said on Wednesday.
However, he also described Russia’s airspace violations, including the recent incident over Estonia, as “reckless” and “unacceptable.”
On Europe’s drone wall
Commenting on the initiative to bolster NATO’s defense following the incursions, Rutte said the alliance is working hand in hand with the EU to speed up the process.
According to Rutte, NATO is handling the military developments, while the EU focuses on the financial aspects to make sure “the money is there,” saying there is no overlap between the two.
When asked by a reporter to elaborate on the anti-drone initiative, Rutte named the Eastern Sentry mission as an example, adding that plans are in place to speed up innovations and system testing.
Rutte also said a coordination center in Poland is working with Ukraine to improve its defense capabilities.
Potential war with Russia
Rutte said NATO is a defensive bloc and will remain this way, though it will take “whatever it takes” to secure its interests.
He downplayed Russia’s threats by saying the alliance is “25 times bigger than Russia” and joked about the undersea cable incidents by quipping that Russian captains do not know how to lower anchors.
“Let’s not take the Russians too seriously,” he said.
However, he said a war might still be possible if Russia is willing to sacrifice momentous resources – as seen in Ukraine – or if China invades Taiwan, which he said would likely prompt Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin also to attack NATO.
Answering an Australian reporter’s question on Canberra’s contribution to NATO’s air policing missions, Rutte said the alliance works closely with its Asia-Pacific partners and said the region is closely connected in terms of security.
However, he also ruled out extending an Article-5 style guarantee to allies in the Asia-Pacific region should a major conflict break out.