Wednesday’s NATO defense minister meetings have hinted at more air defense for Kyiv – but how many and when remains unclear as the alliance remains vague on details.
The ministers also talked about joint weapon production and the provision of long-range weapons, among other topics.
Here are the key outcomes according to the press conference held by Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal and his UK and German counterparts, John Healey and Boris Pistorius, who co-chaired the Ukraine Contact Defense Group (UCDG) that coordinates defense aid for Ukraine.
The PURL program
The Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program has topped the agenda of the NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels.
The program was initiated in July, through which the alliance purchases US weapons for Ukraine to meet its defense needs.
While NATO chief Mark Rutte said the participating nations have grown from six to “over half” of the alliance after Wednesday’s meetings, the full list of countries remains unclear.
Shmyhal named Latvia, Estonia and Slovenia among the new additions. The original list contains the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany and Canada.
Healey confirmed the UK is not part of the program but said London is “looking hard” to bolster Kyiv’s defenses, arguing that its aid for Ukraine has already reached an all-time high.
Shmyhal said PURL will help procure US Patriot missiles and other critical systems, such as long-range weaponry, without naming the precise list of weapons.
While the PURL initiative has raised $3.5 billion worth of funding thus far, officials have failed to provide a precise figure as to what the new additions to the program will bring.
Pistorius said he believes that it amounts to €3 billion ($3.5 billion) “left to be booked by member states, by partners and allies, from PURL” before adding he is unsure of the total amount before the end of the year.
Pistorius then asked Healey for clarification, to which the latter called it a “new arrangement,” explaining “it’s still betting in with the details.”
Ukraine’s key priorities
Shmyhal named FPV drones, interceptor drones, air defense missiles and deep strike capabilities as the top priorities when answering a question from Kyiv Post on the “key needs of the Armed Forces that remain a priority after today’s meeting.”
Participants agreed that US Patriots are currently the backbone of Ukraine’s air defense, while European systems were largely absent from the discussion – reportedly due to uncertain delivery timelines, according to a comment made on the sidelines by another official a day prior.
Shmyhal went on to highlight Ukraine’s current deep strike capabilities via domestic drones and missiles at length, saying they are essential tools – alongside sanctions and front line gains – to pressure Moscow into negotiations. He pointed out that Kyiv has destroyed 25% of oil refineries in Russia.
He also mentioned discussions with allies to bolster that capability, hinting at potential new systems from the US or other allies.
When asked by another reporter about the US transfers of Tomahawks, he first said “concrete names and concrete data” will be announced by the US and Ukrainian presidents – who are set to meet on Friday – before adding it may also be “other countries” announcing that decision if other allies are to supply Ukraine with long-range strike capabilities.
Joint weapon production
The three defense ministers also named joint production as a key outcome from Wednesday’s meetings.
Pistorius mentioned a modernization initiative to improve land systems, including main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), to be upgraded and comply with the latest standards, with new guns and sensors.
But Pistorius said they will be done via the existing maintenance network in Ukraine.
The UK’s Healey said there is a new agreement on Wednesday to jointly develop and improve interceptor drones, mass-producing them “in the thousands each month” for Ukraine.
When asked about the “Project OCTOPUS” interceptor drone unveiled in September, Healey said it combines Ukrainian experience and British manufacturing that can help bolster Kyiv’s defense.
Shmyhal, meanwhile, noted that some have already set up productions inside Ukraine, before adding that some Ukrainian arms makers have also set up production abroad to prevent Russian strikes.
US participation
US Secretary of War/Defense Pete Hegseth has also made his first in-person appearance at the UCDG meeting.
In what might be a public shift in Washington’s stance, Hegseth – who has opposed aid to Ukraine before – now said if “this war does not end, if there is no path to peace in the short term, then the United States, together with our allies, will take the necessary steps to impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression.”
A reporter asked Pistoris if he “[sensed] a change in rhetoric of the US,” to which he said the “baseline of the remarks of Pete Hegseth remains the same.”
“I would read in that kind of change of perspective and approach, but not more for the moment,” he said
“I can’t interpret really what he did mean.”
Ukraine’s war economy
Shmyhal, who served as Ukraine’s prime minister before the government reshuffle this summer, also touched on the country’s war economy.
He said Ukraine is estimated to spend $108 billion on defense this year, a figure he expects to jump up to $120 billion next year.
He added that Ukraine can source $60 billion from taxes and other incomes, but $60 billion needs to come from external sources – which he said can be achieved by just 0.25% GDP from its allies.
According to Shmyhal, Russia spends about $150 billion a year on the war. He noted that anything less than that would translate to losses in human lives and territory.