NATO opens its procurement system to let Ukraine buy weapons directly

NATO will allow Ukraine to purchase weapons, ammunition and military equipment through the alliance's Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), according to reporting by the Financial Times citing the agency. The arrangement gives Kyiv access to established procurement services and a wider network of defence suppliers.

Jacqueline Borsboom, the NSPA's director of operational support, said the arrangement would give Ukraine a more structured way to use the agency's buying expertise, support services and industrial relationships. The Financial Times described the move as a new route for Ukrainian purchasing, rather than another pledge of donated arms.

The agency already helps NATO countries acquire and support defence equipment. Opening that system to Ukrainian buyers could let them use existing contracting channels and logistical services instead of negotiating every purchase independently. The reported agreement, however, does not mean NATO itself has promised to finance every order.

Equipment purchased through NSPA would still depend on availability, financing, export rules and individual contracts. The supplied reports did not give a starting delivery schedule, a list of weapons already ordered, or the value of future purchases. They also did not identify particular suppliers with contracts signed under the new arrangement.

The reports followed discussions between Ukraine and European and US representatives about military support and potential security guarantees. Those negotiations were separate from NSPA's purchasing decision and did not establish that a peace agreement had been reached.

Ukraine has relied on a mixture of purchases, bilateral donations and multinational military assistance during Russia's invasion. The new NSPA channel could offer a more regular procurement option as Ukraine seeks to replace equipment and ammunition used in fighting.

The Financial Times account presented the decision as a way for Kyiv to make fuller use of NATO's procurement infrastructure. Implementation and individual purchases will need to be reported as they are confirmed, rather than treated as deliveries already completed.