DM Shmyhal meets NATO representatives to discuss PURL initiative

Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Denys Shmyhal met with NATO Senior Representative in Ukraine Patrick Turner and Lieutenant General Curtis Buzzard, Commander of NSATU and SAG-U. Among other issues, the parties discussed the PURL initiative.

According to Ukrinform, Shmyhal reported this on Facebook following the meeting in Kyiv.

Shmyhal stated that during the talks in Kyiv, the parties summarized the results of the recent Ukraine-NATO Council meeting at the level of defense ministers held in Brussels. The event demonstrated the Alliance’s solidarity with Ukraine and confirmed the equal participation of Ukraine in the Council’s work.

The minister also noted the readiness of partners to support the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in implementing the reforms necessary to move closer to NATO standards.

The parties separately discussed the PURL initiative, which provides for NATO countries to procure United States-manufactured weapons for the needs of Ukraine’s Defense Forces.

Shmyhal emphasized: “I thank the United States, NATO, and all countries that have already joined the initiative. It is important to establish a continuous supply of everything Ukraine’s Defense Forces need.”

As reported, Minister of Defense Denys Shmyhal and Croatia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ivan Anušić signed a letter of intent in Kyiv to deepen defense-industrial cooperation, including the creation of joint production chains and coordination between defense sectors.

Photo: Denys Shmyhal