NATO allies are establishing a new weapons procurement fund under U.S. President Donald Trump’s initiative to funnel more American-made arms to Ukraine, marking a sharp pivot from Washington’s previous policy of donating military aid.

NATO-Led Fund to Arm Ukraine

Three Western officials confirmed the plan to create a NATO holding account, allowing member states to pool resources to buy billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. weapons for Ukraine. The initiative is the first concrete step to realize Trump’s promise that NATO allies — not the U.S. — will now pay for Ukraine’s military support.

“We’re not buying it, but we will manufacture it, and they’re going to be paying for it,” Trump said during a July meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

Strategic Shift from Donations to Sales

Under President Joe Biden, the U.S. supplied Ukraine with weapons from its own stockpiles. The Trump-led shift aims to have NATO partners reimburse the Pentagon or buy directly from American defense contractors. The Supreme Allied Commander for Europe, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, will oversee Ukraine’s requests and align them with U.S. inventory needs.

Initial spending is projected at $10 billion, mostly directed toward U.S.-produced systems. Trump also retains $3.85 billion in unused drawdown authority from the Biden administration, allowing for continued direct shipments if necessary.

Renewed Deliveries and Germany Deal

Although Patriot missile deliveries were paused in June for a munitions stockpile review, officials said those shipments have resumed. In parallel, the U.S. and Germany reached an agreement for Berlin to send additional Patriot systems to Ukraine. In return, Germany will receive priority access to the newest Patriot models off the U.S. production line, leapfrogging Switzerland in the delivery queue.

This reshuffling underscores Trump’s strategy of leveraging defense trade to incentivize allied support for Kyiv.

End Goal: Pressure Russia to Negotiate

Trump administration officials stress that the ultimate aim is to push Russia to the negotiating table. Meanwhile, continued arms flows from NATO, backed by this new funding mechanism, are designed to bolster Ukraine’s battlefield position in the short term.