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21:04 GMT
BRUSSELS, Aug 4 (KUNA) -- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed on Monday the arrival of the first package of US military equipment for Ukraine under the recently launched NATO initiative, the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), confirming that the Dutch government has fully funded this initial shipment.
In a press release, Rutte "commended The Netherlands for taking the lead and turning this initiative into concrete support on the ground," adding that this builds on "the steps taken last week by Germany to deliver more Patriot systems to Ukraine."
He noted that "this is about getting Ukraine the equipment it urgently needs now to defend itself against Russian aggression", stressing that "the aim of all Allied assistance to Ukraine is to bring the war to a just and lasting end, in support of President Trump's peace efforts".
The statement noted that Rutte has written to all NATO member states urging them to share the burden of support, adding: "I expect further significant announcements from other Allies soon".
The announcement follows the agreement reached last month between NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and US President Donald Trump at the White House, under which this new initiative is being launched.
It is funded by European Allies and Canada and consists of regular aid packages, each worth approximately 500 million dollars. These packages contain equipment and munitions identified by Ukrainian authorities as operational priorities.
Member states agreed at the NATO Summit held in The Hague last June that the responsibility of supporting Ukraine must be shared more equitably a shift that followed pressure from Washington.
According to the statement, NATO will coordinate the delivery of these packages through the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) command, based in Wiesbaden, Germany.
Supreme Allied Commander Europe Alexus Grynkewich will, in cooperation with Ukraine and the United States, validate each package to ensure it aligns with Kyiv's needs particularly in areas such as air defense, ammunition, and other critical equipment prioritized for urgent delivery from US stockpiles. (end)
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