French Minister Delegate to the Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Elis Rufo said that her country is not taking part in the PURL initiative, which involves procuring American weapons for the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at the expense of the United States and NATO allies. She spoke at a briefing in Kyiv on January 23. According to Rufo, France aims to focus on developing its own defense-industrial potential, but continues to provide assistance to Ukraine in other areas.
Context of the PURL program and France’s position
The Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) was agreed between the United States and NATO on July 14, 2025. Under this agreement Kyiv can receive significant volumes of air defense systems, missiles, and ammunition, funded by European countries. The program is designed to accelerate the delivery of defense resources to Ukraine through the joint efforts of allies.
According to participating countries, Denmark allocated about 580 million Danish kroner, Sweden about 275 million dollars, Norway about 135 million dollars. The Netherlands had previously financed the first package of aid; Germany also joined the program. Further deliveries are expected under the agreement.
On September 18, a NATO representative said that the first military equipment provided for by the agreement had arrived in Ukraine, and new deliveries were expected in the near future.
On November 25, Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko summarized that the financing volume under PURL exceeded $3 billion, and funds had been allocated by more than 20 countries.
We want everyone to remember that at some point we need to make decisions on our own and develop European systems. So we are preparing for the next steps.
– Elis Rufo
France’s position demonstrates a commitment to preserving autonomy in its defense policy, while continuing to support Ukraine in other areas beyond PURL. Paris emphasizes the need to develop its own defense capabilities and to actively participate in European defense cooperation, while maintaining partnerships with its allies.