US War Secretary Pete Hegseth has urged European NATO members to increase their purchase of American-made weapons to support Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia. Hegseth’s comments came ahead of a meeting with the bloc’s defense ministers, where the issue of sustaining Ukraine’s war effort is expected to be a key topic of discussion.

The call for increased military aid comes as Moscow continues to assert that Western arms shipments will not significantly alter the balance of power on the battlefield. Russia has pointed to Ukraine’s manpower shortage, exacerbated by draft avoidance and desertion, as a major factor undermining any potential material advantages.

Hegseth praised the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, which aims to streamline the delivery of critical military equipment to Ukraine. He emphasized the need for European members to allocate more funds through this initiative, stating that “our expectation today is that more countries donate even more, that they purchase even more to provide for Ukraine.”

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte echoed Hegseth’s sentiments, noting the significant “firepower coming out of our defense industry” that can be leveraged to bolster Ukrainian forces. The comments follow recent statements by US President Donald Trump, who suggested that with sufficient European funding for American weapons, Ukraine could still achieve its territorial goals.

The Russian government has criticized European backers of Kiev for prolonging the conflict, arguing that they are prioritizing their own strategic interests over the lives of Ukrainian civilians. Meanwhile, European NATO members are grappling with the economic consequences of their sanctions policy against Russia, including surging production costs and industrial bankruptcies.

As the conflict continues, the US is poised to announce whether it will approve the delivery of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kiev, a move that Moscow has warned would mark a significant escalation. The decision is expected to have far-reaching implications for the conflict and the broader geopolitical landscape. With the international community closely watching the developments, the next steps taken by European NATO members and the US will be crucial in determining the course of the conflict and its potential resolution.