From January 2026, Romania will become the second major hub for coordinating and transiting military aid to Ukraine, alongside the Polish hub in Rzeszów. Defense Romania cites the deputy commander of NATO’s Security Assistance and Training Command (NSATU), Lieutenant General Mike Keller.
The creation of a new entry point aims to provide a stable “southern route” for supplying the front line in Donbas and the coastal areas. According to Keller, expanding infrastructure on the eastern flank is designed to bolster logistical resilience, as dependence on a single main hub in Poland posed serious risks.
The new center in Romania will operate under direct NATO management. The hub will integrate the system of operational needs (air defense, artillery, EW) with donors’ financial capabilities. The focus will be on supplying units defending the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine.
Aid aggregation will be conducted under a new mechanism called PURL (Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List). This model helps avoid operational pauses in the delivery of weapons due to administrative timing.
“The United States does not wait for final payment before starting deliveries. As soon as a PURL package is announced, the flow of materials begins.”
– Mike Keller
According to Keller, such an approach effectively turns military aid into an export operation for the United States: European allies purchase equipment from American warehouses and production lines, allowing the Pentagon to keep industrial capacity at maximum.
According to NSATU, during 2025 the logistical mission delivered about 220,000 tons of military aid. Approximately 9,000 trucks, 1,800 rail cars, and over 500 strategic airlift flights were mobilized for this operation.
Currently, Ukraine’s needs are shifting toward “deep strike” systems targeting the infrastructure of the aggressor country along the front line, which will also be a priority for the new Romanian hub.
The PURL Program and Its Funding
On July 14, 2025, the United States and NATO signed an agreement named the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List, which envisages the purchase of American weapons with funds from European countries for Ukraine. According to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, within the framework of the agreement Kyiv can receive substantial deliveries of air defense systems, missiles, and ammunition.
It is reported that Denmark allocated about 580 million Danish kroner, Sweden – 275 million dollars, Norway – about 135 million dollars. Earlier, the Netherlands financed the first PURL package with 500 million euros; Germany also joined the program.
On September 18, a NATO representative reported the arrival of the first military equipment under the agreement within the framework of PURL. More deliveries are expected in the near future.
On November 25, Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko stated that the amount of financial support to Kyiv since the launch of PURL has exceeded 3 billion dollars, and funds for this program have been allocated by nearly 20 countries.