At a Nato summit on Wednesday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US and its allies would “impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression” if the war in Ukraine did not come to an end.
The US stood ready to do its part “in ways that only the United States can do,” Hegseth said, without elaborating further. He also encouraged Nato countries to contribute to the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (Purl) programme under which allies buy US-made weapons that are then sent on to Ukraine.
Several countries have already said they would take part in Purl. Germany on Wednesday said it would spend $500m (£374m) on weaponry for Ukraine, while the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries have collectively pledged $1bn.
Kyiv remains dependent on Western arms donations to push back Russian troops, although it has been developing its own defence industry.
Research published by the Kiel Institute in Germany this week showed that military aid sent to Ukraine had declined by 43% compared with the first half of the year.