Ukraine needs unique air defense that only U.S. can provide — Rutte

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made this statement during a press conference following a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

When asked whether he could provide details on the air defense systems NATO intends to send to Ukraine for short-term protection of energy infrastructure, Rutte did not give a specific answer, stating:

“Many air defense systems have been delivered to Ukraine over the last three and a half years of war, both from Europe as well as from the United States (…). We know what Ukraine needs to stay strong in its fight, and some of this stuff… only the U.S. can provide, for example, interceptors for Patriot systems.”

He added that this is precisely why the PURL initiative was launched — to allow NATO allies to purchase weapons from the U.S. for Ukraine, including both lethal and non-lethal weapons, particularly air defense systems.

Rutte noted that while European partners are also actively involved — as Italy, Germany, and France have their own anti-missile systems — he cannot “go into all the details of what they have or have not delivered to Ukraine.”

He emphasized that the Ukrainian command is doing its part to ensure the effective use of the delivered air defense systems.

“But a lot of this has to come from the U.S., because it is unique military support that only U.S. can provide. And that is why we need the PURL initiative,” Rutte concluded.

As reported by Ukrinform, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that more than half of NATO allies had already joined the PURL initiative to purchase U.S.-made weapons for Ukraine.