Estonia will allocate 10 million euros ($11 million) to NATO’s PURL initiative that procures American weapons for Ukraine, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna announced on Saturday.
“Estonia is contributing €10M ($11 mn) to NATO’s PURL initiative to urgently strengthen Ukraine’s defense,” Tsahkna wrote on X.
The Estonian Foreign Minister justified the contribution by pointing to Russia’s continued aggression.
“As Russia shows no sign of seeking peace—continuing frontline attacks and air terror against Ukrainian cities—Ukraine needs rapid support to protect civilians, hold the line, and move toward peace,” he said.
The PURL mechanism allows Allied and partner nations to fund the delivery of US weapons and technologies via voluntary contributions. The United States and NATO launched this new military aid mechanism in early August, enabling funding of American weapons through contributions from Alliance members.
Since the initiative’s launch, European NATO countries have contributed more than $1 billion to the program. The Alliance aims to raise up to $10 billion through the mechanism, according to the original report.
Estonian President Alar Karis had indicated in early September that Estonia would join the PURL initiative but had not specified the contribution amount at that time.
The PURL mechanism provides for the formation of a list of equipment and ammunition based on Ukraine’s requests, which are confirmed by the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). NATO coordinates deliveries under this mechanism, with aid packages announced on a regular basis.