Strategic Shift in NATO’s Support for Ukraine. A Study of NSATU and PURL Initiatives
While NATO’s support to Ukraine in 2022 was largely limited to non-lethal assistance and capacity-building measures, in 2025 it assumed a direct role in the coordination and provision of military support to Ukraine. This was influenced by several factors, and not least by the changing policy of the new US administration vis-à-vis Ukraine. NSATU currently coordinates more than 80% of all military support to Ukraine, while PURL became a key mechanism for the provision of critical air-defense capabilities—supplying 75% of all missiles for Ukraine’s Patriot systems and 90% of the missiles used in other air-defense systems.
The first section looks at the origins of the establishment of the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine and its interconnection with other pre-existing coordination formats, such as US European Command Control Center-Ukraine (ECCU), International Donor Coordination Center (IDCC), Security Assistance Group-Ukraine (SAG-U) and Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG). It also examines NSATU’s core functions, such as the coordination and delivery of equipment, and the coordination of training and force development.
The second section focuses on the PURL mechanism and analyzes the dynamics of its implementation since its establishment in August 2025. In particular, it assesses key issues related to the sustainable funding of the initiatives, as well as burden-sharing among the Allies and political dynamics shaping participation in the initiative.
While highlighting the successes of NSATU and PURL in improving the coordination, predictability, and effectiveness of support to Ukraine, the study also identifies important limitations and risks. It argues that the long-term sustainability of these initiatives may be undermined by funding shortfalls, unequal burden-sharing and industrial capacity constraints. Growing political divisions between the United States and its European Allies represent another key source of vulnerability.
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Strategic Shift in NATO’s Support for Ukraine. A Study of NSATU and PURL Initiatives
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