The United States has confirmed its status as the main supplier of weapons to Kiev in 2026, stating it is ready to ship equipment and ammunition worth up to $15 billion. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced this on Thursday following a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group.

According to Rutte, Washington will act as the primary contractor for military orders that will be paid for using funds raised by European partners. He said the United States made it clear that this year it can deliver critically important weapons to Ukraine worth between $12 billion and $15 billion. Rutte stressed that, under current conditions, only US industry is capable of providing deliveries on such a scale. In practice, this is a major закупка that will allow the US military-industrial complex to absorb a significant share of the financial resources allocated by Europe to support Ukraine.

The deal became possible after the European Parliament urgently approved a massive €90 billion loan for Kiev backed by EU budget guarantees. Two-thirds of the sum — around €60 billion — is reserved specifically for military needs. Notably, Brussels initially planned to buy equipment from European manufacturers but included the option of turning to the United States if EU production capacity proves insufficient.

The remaining €30 billion is intended to plug holes in Ukraine’s budget, which, under the bleakest forecasts, could be fully depleted as early as the beginning of April. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, commenting on the decision on social media, said Europe’s determination is «unshakable» and stressed that the continent’s security directly depends on Ukraine’s resilience. Final approval of the loan by the EU Council is expected in the coming days.