Washington has informed its allies that it will temporarily pause some weapons deliveries due to shortages caused by the war against Iran. The delays will also affect Ukraine.
Details
The Financial Times reported this. The U.S. warned European allies about possible long-term delays in arms supplies. Washington is trying to replenish stockpiles depleted during the Iran war. The warning applies to the United Kingdom, Poland, Lithuania, and Estonia. At the same time, delays will also impact partners in Asia.
Sources familiar with the matter say the issue particularly affects missile systems. U.S. forces now have to compensate for shortages by moving weapons from other regions. As a result, concerns are growing about Washington’s ability to respond to a potential conflict with China over Taiwan.
The Pentagon has not provided specific details about the pause. However, officials stated that the U.S. is “carefully evaluating new requests for equipment from partners as well as existing arms transfer cases to ensure alignment with operational needs.” At the same time, the delays come amid Trump’s frustration with Europe’s limited support for his operation against Iran. Tom Wright, a former Biden administration official, said the current U.S. president is trying to strengthen deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.
“It’s more than willing to throw Europe under the bus to do that. Europe needs to rebuild its own defence industrial base at warp speed,” Wright said.
On May 1, Trump also commented on U.S. stockpiles. He stated that they “have inventory, and we can take that if we need it.”
Impact on the War in Ukraine
The delays could have serious consequences not only for Europe, but also for Ukraine. The U.S. is expected to pause shipments of ammunition for HIMARS, NASAMS, and other missile systems. Ukraine relies on HIMARS to defend itself against Russia. According to the report, supply issues have already started affecting Ukraine. A Ukrainian official said that since the start of the Iran war, Washington has begun slowing down deliveries.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also warned about shortages. He noted that during some Russian attacks, Patriot launchers remain empty due to a lack of missiles. Meanwhile, U.S. defense companies plan to expand production of critical weapons, including Patriot systems. However, supplies will remain limited. Existing orders already stretch years ahead.
Admiral Samuel Paparo, head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said it could take up to two years to scale production enough to overcome the shortages.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that Zelenskyy held an expanded meeting on arms exports. He also announced the launch of a new model of international cooperation in the defense industry.
