South Korea considers joining NATO-led initiative to supply US-made equipment to Ukraine

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korea is considering joining a NATO-led initiative to provide US-made munitions and equipment to Ukraine, local media reported Friday.

The Foreign Ministry said Seoul is reviewing various measures to support Ukraine in its war with Russia, according to Yonhap News Agency.

“The government has continued to consult with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization over various measures to support Ukraine,” a ministry official said.

Citing diplomatic sources, Yonhap reported that Seoul is weighing participation in a NATO-led framework launched in July last year to purchase US weapons for Ukraine, known as the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative.

If South Korea joins the program, it would contribute only to the purchase of nonlethal equipment, the report said.

South Korea has provided nonlethal and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022.

The initiative, launched by NATO and the United States, includes Germany and the Netherlands, as well as non-NATO partners such as Australia and New Zealand.

Under the program, NATO allies have committed $2.2 billion in lethal and nonlethal military aid to Kyiv as the war approaches its fifth year.