The United States is pressuring the Greek government to join the Priority List of Ukraine’s Needs (PURL) – a fundraising mechanism for purchasing American weapons for Ukraine.
Ekathimerini reports this in a dispatch from Athens diplomatic circles.
Ahead of the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels, representatives from the U.S. Embassy in Athens delivered Washington’s request for Greece to consider joining PURL.
Context and the United States’ Position on PURL
American diplomats reiterated praise for Greece’s principled stance on Ukraine and acknowledged the country’s financial constraints as the fiscal year nears its end. However, Washington insists on an official announcement of Athens’ participation in the program.
U.S. officials urged Greek Foreign Minister Gerapetritis to announce participation at the NATO meeting and proposed signing a General Framework Agreement to confirm the commitment, leaving the amount of the contribution for a future decision.
In addition, Washington is advised to avoid alignment with NATO members that are not participating in PURL.
According to official sources, discussions about participation in PURL have been ongoing since the fund’s announcement last summer by the President of the United States, and the topic was also discussed by Chargé d’Affaires Josh Hack and U.S. Ambassador Kimberly Gilfoyle.
Since the issue affects Greek-American relations, it is being handled by the Greek Prime Minister’s Office. Officials say authorities are taking financial realities into account and trying to maintain a delicate balance between supporting Ukraine and the country’s internal capabilities.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stressed that backing PURL has the support of roughly two-thirds of member states and an overall commitment of about 4 billion euros.
Substantive discussions regarding Greece’s participation in PURL continue, and future steps will depend on the domestic political and economic situation in Athens and new agreements at the NATO level.