The US President has threatened his NATO allies to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine, using the funds raised through the PURL foundation, in response to the alliance`s refusal to help the United States unblock the Strait of Hormuz, the Financial Times quoted sources as saying.

According to their information, several countries heeded the calls of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and issued a joint statement on March 19, expressing their readiness to support efforts to ensure the safe passage of ships through Hormuz in response to Donald Trump`s tough stance. They include Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Japan. Later, the number of countries reached 35.

"It was Rutte who insisted on the joint statement because Trump had threatened to withdraw from PURL and from Ukraine in general. The statement was then quickly put together, and other countries joined in afterwards because there was not enough time to invite everyone to sign up straight away", - a source said.

Two sources confirmed that Rutte had numerous telephone conversations with Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the two days preceding the publication of the statement.