The Trump administration has approved its first weapons aid packages for Ukraine, marking a significant shift in US military support under a new international funding structure, two sources familiar with the matter said.
The aid potentially worth up to $1 billion will be delivered under a new NATO-backed mechanism called the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL). The system allows the US to supply weapons from its own stockpiles using funds provided by allied nations.
According to the sources, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby has authorized up to two shipments, each valued at around $500 million. The packages are expected to include urgently needed air defense systems, amid a sharp rise in Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and cities.
This marks a notable departure from previous Trump administration policy. Until now, weapons provided to Ukraine were either commercial sales or transfers approved under the Biden administration, which had championed consistent military aid to Kyiv.
The new NATO-aligned financing system aims to provide up to $10 billion in military assistance. It also reflects renewed transatlantic coordination, as U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly grows increasingly frustrated with Russia’s continued aggression despite his attempts to broker a negotiated settlement.
While the Pentagon has not commented publicly on the development, one source noted that the equipment being approved matches Ukraine’s most pressing battlefield needs primarily air defenses, interceptors, artillery, and rocket systems.
“It’s the stuff they’ve been asking for,” said one source. “It’s the flow that’s allowed them to stabilise the lines thus far.”
The PURL program is still progressing through internal channels, but officials say approvals are moving forward quickly signaling a more coordinated international push to sustain Ukraine’s defenses as the war grinds on.
