US tells Ukraine no PURL military aid redirected to Middle East, Sybiha says
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The U.S. has reassured Ukraine that none of the military aid committed to Kyiv was redirected elsewhere, including to the Middle East, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told news agency Ukrinform in an interview published on March 29.
"Nothing was redirected from the (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List) program to other geographical areas, and from those funds, from that equipment that is intended for Ukraine," Sybiha told Ukrinform.
"As of now, there are no plans for redirection."
Sybiha's comments came after the G7 Foreign Ministers' Summit in France, where U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave the reassurance in person.
Just days earlier, media reports said that the Pentagon is considering redirecting military aid intended for Ukraine to the Middle East, a month into the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
According to the Washington Post, the weapons under consideration include air defense interceptor missiles ordered through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program, which allows other NATO members to fund the procurement of U.S. weapons for Ukraine.
Signed by the U.S. and NATO in July, the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) agreement lays out a mechanism for NATO member states and partners to purchase high-priority equipment for Ukraine.
Twenty-four countries, including two non-NATO member states, Australia and New Zealand, have so far joined the initiative.
Sybiha said that a new country had committed to the PURL program and stressed its importance for bolstering Ukraine's air defense as Russia ramped up its blitz on energy infrastructure over the winter.
Speaking about the U.S.'s role in peace negotiations as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes Ukraine and Russia to hold talks to end the war at all costs, Sybiha said "there are like-minded people" involved and that "everyone understands the need to achieve a just, sustainable peace."
"Everyone understands how difficult this path is and what steps we need to take together," Sybiha told Ukrinform, stressing that the U.S. is the only country that can force Russia to peace.
"There may be different points related to vision, prioritization, but the fact that pressure must be exerted, I think, is undeniable, because Russia is currently the only obstacle to the finalization of all peace efforts led by the U.S."
The minister's comment comes after President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Reuters interview published on March 25 that the U.S. is proposing security guarantees to Ukraine in exchange for Kyiv withdrawing its troops from parts of the Donbas still under Ukrainian control.
"The Americans are prepared to finalize these guarantees at a high level once Ukraine is ready to withdraw from Donbas," Zelensky said.
In the interview with Ukrinform, Sybiha called Europe's position on Ukraine "unwavering," but accused Hungary of taking "hostage of practically the entire European Union and the entire sanctions policy" hostage by blocking the 20th sanctions package against Russia in February.
The EU failed to approve its 20th sanctions package against Russia on Feb. 23 after Hungary vetoed the measure, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said following a Foreign Affairs Council meeting.
"This is unacceptable," Sybiha said.
