NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has welcomed the agreement by European Union member states on a derogation allowing Ukraine to purchase crucial products for Patriot air defense systems, he said in a statement on X, APA reports.
Rutte said he welcomed the decision together with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
According to the NATO chief, the next disbursement of $3.5 billion will enable Ukraine to strengthen the protection of its airspace against Russian attacks.
He noted that over the past year, NATO allies have allocated more than $10 billion through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative and U.S. Foreign Military Sales to support Ukraine.
“NATO and the EU will continue to work hand in hand to support Ukraine. It is yet another example of Europe stepping up,” Rutte said.