The new military center that will be built in Romania will be under the direct command of NATO

In Romania there will be a second large European logistics center to ensure the supply of weapons to Ukraine, writes the Ukrainian publication Defense Express. Major General Maik Keller, deputy commander of the NATO Security Assistance and Training Unit for Ukraine (NSATU) said that this logistics center in Romania will be under the command of the North Atlantic Alliance until the end of January.

Until now, the only important logistical center for the supply of weapons and military equipment was Rzeszow, Poland, but it seems that now Kiev's Western partners want to diversify supply routes to Ukraine or double their intensity, Defense Express notes.

The new logistics center will work in tandem with the one in Poland

This new logistics center would be operational in Romania starting from January 2026 and would be responsible for the coordination and transit of weapons to Ukraine.

It will be similar to the one currently operating in Rzeszow, Poland. Until now, the latter served as the main “artery” through which weapons and military equipment were supplied to Ukraine. The Romanian logistics center will work in tandem with the Polish one.

Thanks to the logistics center in Romania, NATO will be able to double the transit capacity of the flow of armaments sent by partners to Ukraine, including within the PURL mechanism, through which the United States supplies Ukraine with weapons paid for by European countries.

It is good news for Kiev, as the creation of a new logistics center will reduce the risk of dependence on the supply of weapons from a single logistics center in Poland, the Ukrainian publication points out

The military hub in Romania will come under NATO command

The new logistics center in Romania will be under the direct command of NATO, integrating into the system of coordination of operational needs (artillery, air defense, electronic warfare) with the availability of donor funds.

Speaking at NSATU's headquarters in the German city of Wiesbaden, Keller said on Friday that the mission had channeled about 220,000 tons of military aid to Kiev in 2025, which is about 9,000 trucks, 1,800 wagons and 500 planes loaded with weapons, ammunition and other materials, according to Reuters.

“It's never enough. But at least it's enough to keep Ukraine in the fight,” he said.

“Ukraine is able to hold the front line, defend the airspace as much as possible. And that shows us that we had good support, but of course there is always more to be done.”

The general said anti-aircraft, artillery, anti-tank mines, electronic warfare capabilities and deep-strike weapons that can hit Russian airfields or refineries far beyond the front lines are Ukraine's most urgent needs.

The Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act signed by Trump on Thursday earmarked $800 million for Ukraine — $400 million in each of the next two years — as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which gives U.S. companies money for weapons for the Ukrainian military.

The US delivers weapons to Ukraine and Europe pays

Arms deliveries to Ukraine have not decreased following US President Donald Trump's decision to stop direct US donations, said General Keller.

After assuming the presidency of the United States, in January, Trump did not approve any new free military aid package for Ukraine, i.e. donations, but continued the delivery of weapons and ammunition based on the aid already approved by his democratic predecessor Joe Biden, notes Agerpres.

Meanwhile, through an agreement with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, Trump found a way that would suit him to continue the military support of Ukraine in the war with Russia, but through which this aid would be supported financially by the Europeans.

This is how the PURL initiative appeared, the acronym in English for the “List of Priority Needs for Ukraine” mechanism, through which European states buy weapons and ammunition from the US for the Ukrainian army.

Asked by Reuters if there has been a drop in military supplies since Trump stopped the donations, General Mike Keller, deputy commander of the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) mission, said no. “There was no pause (…) They simply continued, and the United States does not wait for payment before delivering” military equipment ordered and paid for by Europeans for Ukraine, so “as soon as a package (PURL) is announced, the flow of equipment begins,” he explained.