US pressures Greece to join weapons procurement program for Ukraine - Media
US pressures Greece to join weapons procurement for Ukraine (photo: Getty Images)
The United States is pressuring Greece to contribute to the PURL program for purchasing American weapons for Ukraine, Ekathimerini reports.
According to the outlet's sources, ahead of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on Wednesday, December 3, representatives of the US Embassy in Athens conveyed Washington's request for Greece to join PURL.
American diplomats once again expressed their gratitude to Greece for its "principled stance" on Ukraine. They acknowledged the financial constraints at the end of the fiscal year, but insisted that Athens announce its participation.
They urged Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis to announce Greece's involvement at the NATO meeting. They suggested that Greece sign the General Framework Agreement to demonstrate its commitment, leaving the question of the contribution amount for later.
Washington also advised Athens not to join the minority of NATO countries that are not contributing.
Gerapetritis met on the sidelines of the NATO meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. Still, no announcements were made beyond the intention of both countries to prepare for the following strategic dialogue between Greece and the United States.
The strategic dialogue, initially planned for October and then for December, is now likely to take place later in 2026.
The outlet notes that the United States has repeatedly raised the issue of PURL since President Donald Trump announced the program. Acting Chargé d'Affaires Josh Hack and Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle also discussed it during talks with Greek leaders.
It is emphasized that since this issue affects Greek–American relations, it is being handled by the prime minister's office. Both now and at previous stages, the Americans were told that the country's financial situation does not allow for disrupting the sensitive balance that has been achieved.
PURL Program
PURL (Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List) is a joint NATO–US initiative launched in July 2025. Its purpose is to provide Ukraine with critically needed US-manufactured weapons through funding provided by NATO allies.
Ukraine compiles a list of priority weapons needs, and allies jointly pay for the procurement of the necessary equipment from the United States, which is then delivered directly to Ukraine.
The PURL mechanism speeds up the delivery of weapons because purchases are made from existing US stockpiles without additional delays.
The program also enables efficient resource use by focusing on what Ukraine needs most at any given moment.
The Trump administration has already approved the first two military aid packages for Ukraine under PURL.
Yesterday, it became known that five countries allocated 1 billion dollars for weapons purchases for Ukraine under the PURL program. Ukrainian defenders will receive, among other things, Patriot missiles.
In addition, Australia and New Zealand joined the PURL initiative. The countries are also providing military aid packages for Ukraine worth 63 million dollars and 8.7 million dollars, respectively.
