Whitaker Says ‘No Change’ to Arms Flows to Kyiv via PURL

US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said, to his knowledge, US weapon flows to Kyiv via NATO continue as of Monday.

Speaking to AFP on the sidelines of the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday, Whitaker said he was unaware of any changes to the existing supply structure.

“The United States continues to sell our equipment and munitions to our European and Canadian allies that then provide it to Ukraine,” Whitaker said.

“I know of no change to that program.”

Whitaker referred to NATO’s Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) mechanism, where alliance members bankroll US weaponry for Kyiv.

The comments followed a Financial Times (FT) report on Sunday, citing unnamed European officials, that Washington is considering cutting arms flows via PURL over US President Donald Trump’s Friday diesel deal with Moscow.

The rumors stem from Kyiv’s hinted refusal to halt attacks on Russian refineries unless Washington secures a bilateral ceasefire that protects Ukraine’s energy grid, with the current terms, after Trump announced an energy truce, rumored to overwhelmingly favor Moscow by including only refineries.

Whitaker’s comments also echoed those of US Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alexus Grynkewich at the same event, who called for Europe to bolster arms supplies to Kyiv via PURL in response to Russia’s hybrid threats.

However, Whitaker also told AFP he did not wish to comment on “unconfirmed reports” without referencing the FT report.

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He also accused Moscow of ignoring a US-backed energy ceasefire appeal, saying 19 regions came under attack in two days.

Kyiv’s air defense challenges in winter

Whitaker also acknowledged the challenges Ukraine faces this winter, as Russia targets the country’s energy grid while Kyiv’s air defenses remain in short supply.

“Ukraine is facing a winter where, if there is not an energy ceasefire,... their electricity and heating infrastructure could be under a lot of pressure,” he said.

“Air defense largely is in high demand, and the availability is probably not as good as we would like,” he added.

Blackouts have already begun in Kyiv and other cities as the energy grid comes under attack. Strikes on Monday, one day after Trump boasted of an energy truce, also affected water supplies in Kyiv, less than two months before the arrival of subzero winter temperatures.

But Whitaker called it a “short-term challenge” as he said companies are coming up with alternatives to traditional air defense.

“You’re seeing a lot of companies try to come up with new and innovative ways to knock projectiles out of the air,” he said.

“Ultimately, we’re going to solve this problem… I think it’s a short-term challenge,” he added.

As Russia uses more jet-powered drones against Ukraine – with numbers spiking 10-fold from 350 in June to nearly 3,500 in September – Kyiv has also ostensibly explored more cost-effective ways to shoot down the drones.

Apart from using onboard 20mm autocannons from F-16 fighter jets, Ukraine also announced new models of faster interceptors to counter the jet-powered drones.

In Kyiv, automatic machine gun turrets are also being erected around the city after Russia began hitting the city’s bridges in October, with the Ukrainian Air Force hailing their successes in downing jet-powered drones.

But the quantity remains limited for now, and it’s unclear whether Kyiv can scale production enough to cope with the upcoming Russian onslaught this winter.