The U.S. is delaying arms shipments to the EU and Ukraine due to depleted stockpiles, according to Reuters
The United States has begun to delay arms deliveries to its European allies due to a critical reduction in its own military stockpiles.
This is reported by Reuters.
The issue concerns contracts already signed and paid for under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, but even government guarantees have failed to prevent the delays.
The situation is causing the greatest concern in the Baltic and Scandinavian countries, which border Russia and view the supply of American weapons as a key element of their security. At the same time, the delays could also affect support for Ukraine.
The reduction in U.S. stockpiles has been gradual: initially due to military aid to Ukraine after 2022, later due to support for Israel, and starting in 2026 due to a war with Iran.
The most acute shortage is observed in the field of air defense. Specifically, this concerns interceptor missiles for Patriot systems, which are actively used to repel missile and drone attacks and are critically important for both Ukraine and European countries.
Against this backdrop, dissatisfaction is growing in European capitals. Some politicians are already calling for more active development of domestic arms production and a reduction in dependence on the U.S.
At the same time, Washington points out that some resources are being directed to the Middle East and criticizes European allies for insufficient participation in joint security initiatives.
