October 15, 2025, Brussels – U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has called on NATO allies to increase their investments in U.S. weapons for Ukraine, as military support for Kyiv has sharply declined in recent months. Hegseth made the remarks ahead of a NATO meeting in Brussels, emphasizing that a strong military presence is key to securing peace, rather than merely diplomatic words.
During the meeting with his NATO counterparts, Hegseth stressed the importance of bolstering the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), a program that now sees NATO countries purchasing U.S. weapons for Ukraine, replacing earlier direct donations of arms from the U.S. He urged allied nations to step up their contributions to support Ukraine, which continues to face significant military challenges in its ongoing conflict with Russia.
“We get peace when we are strong. Not when you use strong words or wag your fingers, you get it when you have strong and real capabilities that adversaries respect,” Hegseth said.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also echoed Hegseth’s call, noting that $2 billion had already been committed to the PURL program, although this amount falls short of the $3.5 billion that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had hoped to secure by October.
Declining Military Support
A recent report by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy highlighted a worrying trend in military aid to Ukraine, showing a 43% decrease in support during July and August compared to the first half of the year. This drop coincides with the ongoing transition to the PURL mechanism, which has become the primary means through which military aid is funneled to Ukraine.
Countries like Sweden, Estonia, and Finland have pledged additional contributions, but key NATO members such as Spain, Italy, France, and Britain have faced criticism for not doing enough to support Ukraine’s military needs.
As Ukraine braces for another harsh winter of fighting, its reliance on U.S. weapons has never been greater. Hegseth’s appeal underscores the continued need for sustained and increased military aid from NATO countries to help Ukraine defend itself and potentially bring the ongoing conflict to a peaceful resolution.
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