Korea mulls joining NATO initiative to fund weapons for Ukraine

Ruined residential buildings are seen in the abandoned town of Marinka in the Donetsk region, a Russian-controlled area of eastern Ukraine, Wednesday. Reuters-Yonhap

South Korea is reviewing whether to join a NATO initiative to help finance the purchase of U.S. weapons for Ukraine, diplomatic sources said Friday.

If it decides to participate, the move could deepen defense ties with Europe as Seoul seeks to expand arms sales to NATO members, while further straining relations with Russia.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is "in continued discussions with NATO on various ways to support Ukraine," responding to a local media report that Seoul is considering participation in NATO's Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL).

A ministry official confirmed that NATO had asked South Korea to join the mechanism to support Ukraine. The official said Seoul's stance on assisting the war-torn nation is centered on "humanitarian aid and other nonlethal military equipment," declining to elaborate on whether the government is leaning toward participation.

The Ukrainian Embassy in South Korea said it could not immediately comment when reached by The Korea Times.

The Russian Embassy in Seoul said it was unaware of South Korea's official position on the matter, noting that it assumes "Russia's stance on supplying weapons to Ukraine is well-known."

Launched in July 2025 by the United States and NATO, PURL is intended to accelerate the delivery of urgently needed weapons to Ukraine. Instead of arranging separate purchases, participating countries pool financial contributions into a common package that Washington uses to supply U.S.-made arms and other critical equipment.

NATO says 75 percent of Patriot missile systems delivered to Ukraine and 90 percent of other air defense missiles have been funded through PURL. As of December 2025, member states had pledged more than $4 billion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said about $15 billion will be needed through the program this year.

For Seoul, participation could strengthen defense cooperation with NATO members, many of which are buyers of South Korean weapons. But it also risks aggravating already strained ties with Moscow.

Relations between South Korea and Russia have deteriorated sharply since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and have worsened further due to expanding military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. The North has sent troops to support Russia's war effort in exchange for what Seoul says are likely military and economic benefits.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, left, shakes hands with NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska during a meeting in Brussels, Jan. 23 (local time). Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Doo Jin-ho, head of the Eurasia Center at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, said participation in PURL would be a pragmatic decision grounded in strategic considerations.

"Although the mechanism is structured as indirect support to Ukraine, it would be difficult to say there would be no impact on South Korea-Russia relations," Doo added.

Authorities are likely weighing Seoul's economic interests in Europe's expanding defense market.

South Korea, which has emerged as a major arms exporter in recent years, has been seeking to expand its presence in Europe. It lost a bid last November to supply submarines to Poland — one of Seoul's largest arms buyers — in a deal valued at about 8 trillion won ($6 billion).

It is now competing with Germany for Canada's next-generation submarine project, estimated at about 60 trillion won.

"Beyond strategic alignment with NATO, joining PURL could serve as leverage to expand South Korea's defense footprint among NATO members," Doo said, noting that the Canadian submarine project is one of the most significant upcoming arms sales opportunities for Seoul.

The review follows a series of high-level exchanges between Seoul and NATO.

On Feb. 10, President Lee Jae Myung spoke by phone with Mark Rutte, the head of NATO, at Rutte’s request, and the two discussed expanding defense cooperation, according to Lee's office.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun also met NATO Deputy Secretary-General Radmila Shekerinska in Brussels on Jan. 24 and agreed to continue joint efforts in areas including defense.