Kyiv's European allies have begun placing major orders for American weapons on Ukraine's behalf. The changes came a few weeks after US President Donald Trump, who opposes freely providing Ukraine with military equipment, reached an agreement with NATO allies on the issue. Trump announced in August that European allies had agreed to buy US-made weapons for Ukraine as part of a deal concluded with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

On August 28, the US State Department issued a statement announcing the delivery of 3,350 long-range ERAM cruise missiles to Ukraine for a total of $825 million (€705 million). Although the order was formally placed by Kyiv, the funding comes from Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway, as well as the United States, according to the statement, which did not specify the breakdown. ERAM missiles can be launched from fighter jets and have a range similar to Franco-British SCALP-EG missiles, which Ukraine has used to strike occupied Crimea and Russia's Kursk region. Their explosive payload of 227 kg is, however, only half as large.

The order is one of European countries' first purchases on behalf of Ukraine and illustrates the US's shift in approach toward Kyiv. "If Washington previously provided us with its support, it is now a business relationship," said Ukrainian military expert Alexander Kovalenko. During the presidency of Trump's predecessor Joe Biden, the US directly supplied Ukraine with weapons and other military assistance of an estimated value of $75 billion.

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