BRUSSELS (FN) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that military aid for Ukraine is intensifying through European purchases of American weapons, though the transfer of long-range Tomahawk missiles remains undecided.
The new aid flows under the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), a joint NATO procurement initiative. So far, NATO allies have pledged over 2 billion Dollars to supply equipment ranging from drones to ammunition. Additional commitments are expected during the two-day defense ministers’ summit in Brussels.
“Firepower — that’s what is coming,” Hegseth told reporters, backing NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s earlier remarks. He said European pledges are transitioning “from commitments to capabilities” that will soon reach Ukrainian forces.
Ukraine has urged its allies to include Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range exceeding 1,000 miles and could enable strikes deep into Russian territory. However, that decision rests with U.S. President Donald Trump, and the issue was not placed on NATO’s agenda.
Zelensky is expected to raise the request directly with Trump during a scheduled White House meeting on Friday. While Trump has signaled fluctuating positions on Russian aggression, his administration has not authorized the transfer of U.S. long-range missiles to Ukraine.
“That is a bilateral question,” said NATO chief Mark Rutte, distancing the alliance from the Tomahawk debate. NATO defense ministers, instead, have focused on expanding Ukraine’s drone capabilities. The United Kingdom pledged 100,000 drones, while the Netherlands committed 90 million Euro (94 million Dollar) to support domestic Ukrainian production.
The urgency for enhanced air defenses increased after Russian drones entered NATO airspace over Poland last month. NATO aircraft shot down the drones, marking the alliance’s first combat action of the war. Moscow denied the violation was intentional.
British Defense Secretary John Healey called the incident “reckless and unacceptable,” announcing continued RAF patrols in Polish airspace through December. “If NATO is threatened, we will act,” he said.
Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans confirmed that Dutch F-35s intercepted Shahed drones over Poland but cautioned against relying on fighter jets for drone defense, calling it “inefficient and unsustainable.”
Latvia’s Defense Minister Andris Sprūds emphasized that enabling Ukraine to strike inside Russia is key to deterrence. “If Russia continues to bomb civilian infrastructure, Ukraine has a right to respond with deep strikes. That’s self-defense,” he said. Sprūds warned of growing Russian force concentrations near NATO borders, suggesting Moscow is preparing for a broader confrontation.
