Croatia Joins NATO PURL Initiative, Pledges €14M for US Weapons to Ukraine
Croatia has decided to join the PURL (Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List) initiative, allocating €14 million.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to European Pravda.
As part of the 2025 state budget, the government reallocated funds, setting aside €235.7 million for major defense acquisitions. This funding will cover the purchase of CAESAR Mk2 self-propelled howitzers with associated systems and equipment, as well as Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks, simulators, and long-term logistical support.
Additionally, nearly €14 million has been assigned to the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs as Croatia’s contribution to the PURL mechanism, which coordinates the procurement and delivery of military equipment to Ukraine based on operational needs.
PURL is an initiative launched by the US and NATO to supply Ukraine with critically needed weapons by funding the delivery of US-manufactured arms through NATO member states. The mechanism foresees financing of the procurement of such weapons according to a prioritized list of requirements defined by Ukraine and agreed with its partners.
Rather than conducting separate procurements, each country contributes to a common package that the United States uses to supply weapons.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has already thanked Croatia and Romania, which also announced its participation in this mechanism on the same day.
According to him, 24 countries have joined PURL since its launch in August.
“The total amount of contributions amounted to $4.3 billion, of which almost $1.5 billion was contributed in December alone. Thanks to this, eight aid packages have already been formed, and two more are currently being filled,” Zelenskyy wrote, expressing his gratitude to everyone who helped Ukraine this year.
As The Gaze reported earlier, on October 27, the defense ministers of Croatia and Ukraine, Ivan Anušić and Denys Shmyhal, agreed to establish joint production chains and cooperation between the defense industries.
Read also on The Gaze: PURL and the New Era of Western Support: Funding in Europe, Weapons in America, Results in Ukraine