According to Mr. Zelensky, Ukraine will receive missiles for the patriot air defense system and the HIMARS missile launcher in the first batch of weapons sent under the new funding program agreed upon by the US and Ukraine's European allies.
President Zelensky said that Ukraine has so far secured more than $2 billion in funding for US-made weapons through a NATO-led mechanism called the List of Priority Requirements of Ukraine (PURLs) and expects the total committed capital to reach $3.5 billion by October.
Speaking at a joint press conference with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, the Ukrainian leader affirmed that the upcoming two $1 billion US weapons sponsored by Europe will certainly include patriot and HIMARS missiles.
Meanwhile, Patrick Turner, a senior NATO official in Ukraine, said that four PURL military equipment shipments will be sent to Ukraine in the near future, but did not specify how long the transition will take place.
Previously, on September 16, US Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby approved a maximum of two arms, each worth $500 million, under the new mechanism. Additional packages, each worth about $500 million, are also in the approval process.
This is the first time Washington and its allies have used the new mechanism to supply weapons from US reserves to Ukraine with funding from NATO countries and also the first time Mr. Trump has decided to support Kiev with weapons.
The US transfers of weapons to Ukraine, after President Donald Trump returned to the White House on January 20, are all part of commitments approved by former President Joe Biden before the end of his term.
