Slovenia Joins NATO-Backed Program to Supply U.S. Weapons to Ukraine
Slovenia has become the latest European nation to join the U.S.-led initiative to purchase American weapons for Ukraine.
The Gaze reports this, referring to Denevnik.si.
Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob made this announcement during talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Ljubljana on Monday.
According to Golob, Slovenia’s contribution to the PURL program, a joint procurement scheme launched by President Donald Trump and Secretary General Rutte in July, will focus on strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses.
While the exact sum remains classified, he said the funds will go toward surface-to-air missiles designed to protect critical civilian and energy infrastructure.
“The constant attacks on Ukraine’s energy and civilian facilities have no military purpose. They are intended solely to wear down the population,” Golob said.
Rutte welcomed Slovenia’s participation, noting that the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Canada are already part of the PURL initiative, which has mobilized roughly €2 billion to date.
The program aims to accelerate and coordinate European purchases of U.S. defense systems for Kyiv as Russia intensifies its missile and drone strikes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously voiced hope that the program will enable regular monthly deliveries worth around $1 billion, including advanced air defense systems and long-range munitions that are crucial to Ukraine’s security.
As The Gaze reported earlier, on September 25, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte held talks in New York during the UN General Assembly, focusing on the expansion of the PURL defense initiative.
Read more on The Gaze: PURL Initiative: How It Works and What It Means for Ukraine’s Defense