Poland will not be allocating any additional funds in the near future to NATO’s PURL programme, through which allies procure US weapons for Ukraine. This was announced on 13 November 2026 by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk following talks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. The Polish Prime Minister attributed the decision to the high budget deficit and the need to fund his country’s own defence.
- On 13 November, Donald Tusk announced that Poland would temporarily suspend new contributions to NATO’s PURL programme.
- The programme allows allies to purchase American weapons for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
- The reasons behind the decision are the Polish budget deficit and significant defence expenditure.
- Poland had previously contributed $100 million to the PURL.
- There is no question of Poland’s definitive withdrawal from the programme or the cessation of all aid to Ukraine.
What Donald Tusk said about funding for Ukraine
The Polish Prime Minister said that he had personally informed the NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Warsaw’s decision to temporarily refrain from making further contributions.
«I informed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte that we will not be making any contributions to the PURL programme at this stage», he said Tusk.
According to him, Poland is forced to take its own financial capabilities into account, as the country has a significant budget deficit whilst, at the same time, spending heavily on strengthening its defence.
Poland’s financial difficulties are also confirmed by budgetary documents. In October, the government reported that the country was subject to the EU’s excessive deficit procedure, and that the increase in defence spending was having a significant impact on public finances.
At the same time Tusk He did not specify a particular date until which the suspension of contributions would last. His statement relates to funding PURL, rather than a complete cessation of military aid to Ukraine.
What is a PURL, and what weapons is Ukraine receiving?
PURL (Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List) — a NATO initiative launched in July 2025 to provide Ukraine with US weaponry at the expense of allied and partner nations.
The mechanism works as follows: Ukraine identifies its priority needs, NATO agrees on aid packages, and member states finance the purchases from the US.
Through the PURL, Ukraine is primarily receiving air defence equipment, including missiles for the Patriot system, ammunition for the HIMARS and other military equipment.
According to official NATO figures, as of October 2026, more than two-thirds of the Alliance’s member states, as well as Australia and New Zealand, had funded the purchase of US weapons for Ukraine to the tune of over 6 billion dollars.
How much has Poland already allocated for the purchase of weapons?
Poland had previously joined the PURL, contributing 100 million dollars. This contribution was made in December 2025 from the budget of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As is clear from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ official response to a parliamentary question, the payment was made using funds that had originally been earmarked to support Ukraine through the European Peace Fund. It was not possible to transfer these funds under the previous mechanism because Hungary blocked the relevant decisions.
At the time, officials in Warsaw emphasised that participation in PURL was important not only for Ukraine, but also for Poland’s cooperation with other NATO allies.
Will Poland’s decision affect arms supplies to Ukraine?
Poland’s temporary decision not to make further contributions does not mean that the PURL programme has been suspended. Other NATO member states and partners continue to fund the procurement.
At the same time, the issue of funding remains a pressing concern. In November, Bloomberg reported that the US was preparing to ask its allies for additional contributions, as there is a shortfall of approximately $2 billion for the arms packages that have already been agreed.
Poland remains one of Ukraine’s key partners in the areas of military logistics, military training and the defence of NATO’s eastern flank. Tusk had previously emphasised that Warsaw is not withdrawing its support for Ukraine, but must take its own defence needs into account.
As of 13 November 2026, the Polish government had not specified a timeline for resuming contributions to the PURL. It is also unclear whether this decision will affect the scale of future purchases of American weapons for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The programme continues to operate with the participation of other allies.
