Japan has denied reports of its participation in NATO’s PURL programme for Ukraine
The Japanese government has denied media reports that Tokyo allegedly intends to join the PURL programme to support Ukraine, which planned to purchase American equipment for transfer to Kyiv.
This was stated by the Secretary-General of the Japanese Cabinet, Minoru Kihara, according to Censor.NET.
At the same time, he stressed that Japan would continue to support Ukraine, in particular by helping to rebuild the country and strengthen its society and economy.
Earlier it was reported that Japan plans to join NATO's PURL initiative.
PURL: what is known?
PURL is an international programme (initiative) that coordinates the purchase of US-made defence equipment for Ukraine with funds from partners, especially NATO countries. It speeds up the delivery of important weapons and supports Ukraine's defence during the war.
The programme was launched in August 2025.
Within a few months, contributions from partner countries exceeded several billion dollars (as of the end of 2025, more than $4 billion, with more than 20 countries joining the project).
The Ukrainian government estimates that the programme needs about $15 billion per year to fully cover its needs.
European countries and NATO partners have joined the initiative, including the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Canada, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Iceland, Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, and others.
Through PURL, Ukraine has already received several support packages, including:
- missiles for Patriot systems,
- ammunition for HIMARS,
- other important American weapons.
This greatly helps to strengthen defences and counteract the Russian Federation's offensive.
