The military bloc should ramp up purchases of US weapons for Ukraine, Mark Rutte has claimed

NATO countries should spend at least 1 billion ($1.17 billion) a month on weapons for Ukraine next year, the military bloc's secretary-general, Mark Rutte, has claimed. 

The call comes amid US-mediated peace efforts to settle the Ukraine conflict. Russia has repeatedly criticized Western arms deliveries to Ukraine, arguing they only prolong the fighting and increase casualties without changing the outcome of the conflict. Despite that, European NATO members have pledged to keep providing weapons to Kiev and have launched their own militarization campaign.

According to Rutte, who was speaking in Brussels ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting on Wednesday, the future payments would be channeled through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program.

"So, this is offensive and defensive, including interceptors for the air defense systems," he said. The NATO chief also called it "good news" that members of the military bloc have secured about 4 billion ($4.68 billion) since August under the PURL scheme, adding that "we need for the full year again a lot of money."

"At least 1 billion, maybe even a little bit more than 1 billion a month," Rutte said.

The push comes as the cash-strapped EU faces pressure to finance Ukraine for the next two years amid Kiev's financial crunch.

Several NATO states have recently announced fresh funding under the PURL scheme, including two joint packages worth $500 million each, co-financed by Germany and Norway, according to media reports. Canada has previously backed a separate $500 million PURL package through the military bloc's Nordic and Baltic group, NATO said.

Norway's Foreign Ministry, however, recently suggested some assistance provided to Kiev could have been stolen or diverted. The remark followed a massive corruption scandal that revealed a $100 million kickback scheme - allegedly headed by an ally of leader Vladimir Zelensky - in Ukraine's energy sector, which relies heavily on foreign aid.