Ukraine May Lose Access to U.S. Weapons Because of Israel
Israel has already blocked the transfer of U.S. “Iron Dome” systems to Ukraine, even though the missiles for them were paid for out of the U.S. budget. Now, Washington is discussing expanding defense cooperation with Israel, and U.S. lawmakers fear that Tel Aviv could exert influence over the transfer of other U.S. weapons to Ukraine as well. Against the backdrop of the war in Iran, Kyiv and Israel may also compete for limited stocks of American missiles.
Israel could influence which U.S. weapons Ukraine receives. A similar situation arose in 2023, when Tel Aviv blocked the transfer of “Iron Dome” systems to Kyiv, according to The Washington Post. In 2023, the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham advocated for the transfer of “Iron Dome” batteries from the U.S. to Ukraine. The systems were intended to help protect Ukrainian civilians from Russian attacks.
However, the transfer did not take place. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vetoed it. The reason was the terms of the agreement on the joint production of the “Iron Dome.” These terms stipulate that Israel has the final say regarding the use of this system. At the same time, the missile batteries themselves were paid for by the U.S. government.
The Israeli Embassy in Washington explained that it feared the technology might fall into Iran’s hands. At the same time, Israeli officials stated that they had returned the Patriot batteries to the U.S. According to Israeli representatives, these could have been transferred to Ukraine.
Now the dispute extends beyond the “Iron Dome”
This time, U.S. lawmakers want to expand defense cooperation with Israel far beyond missile defense. Specifically, this includes biological weapons, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and directed-energy systems. The relevant provisions are included in a $1.15 trillion U.S. defense policy bill. The House of Representatives passed the bill last week.
The initiative is supported by Netanyahu, pro-Israel lawmakers from both parties, and the influential lobbying organization AIPAC. At the same time, left-wing Democrats and some right-wing Republicans have opposed the bill. They are trying to block its passage in the Senate. Some U.S. lawmakers fear that expanding such agreements could further limit Washington’s ability to independently decide to whom to transfer American weapons.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen stated outright that the situation is already creating problems for the U.S. “This jeopardizes our sovereignty and harms our national security by limiting our capabilities. The missile systems we wanted to transfer to Ukraine were stationed in the southwestern United States and paid for by taxpayers, but Israel vetoed the move,” he said.
Ukraine and Israel Are Competing for U.S. Missiles
The debate in the U.S. coincided with visits to Washington by Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Their requests for military aid effectively pitted the two U.S. allies against each other in a competition for American resources.
According to The Washington Post, during a meeting with Zelenskyy, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that it would be difficult for Washington to fulfill Ukraine’s request for 300 Patriot interceptor missiles. The reason is a shortage of ammunition. According to Trump, these missiles are currently being used in the war in Iran. Thus, Ukraine faces not only a shortage of U.S. weapons but also competition for them from other U.S. partners.
What the State Department Is Saying
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is considered one of the most consistent supporters of Israel in the Trump administration, sees no problem with Israel potentially having the right to veto the export of jointly produced weapons to third countries.
According to him, such restrictions are a standard part of agreements on joint weapons production. At the same time, Rubio supported the idea of closer cooperation between the U.S. and Israeli defense industries.
This situation is of particular importance for Ukraine. If such agreements are extended to new types of weapons, it may become more difficult for Kyiv to obtain certain U.S. systems and ammunition. At the same time, the final terms of such agreements and the extent to which they will affect arms deliveries to Ukraine remain the subject of political debate in the U.S., according to The Washington Post.
The United States and Israel are holding consultations on possibly increasing pressure on Iran, in particular by blocking its land borders. This scenario is being considered as part of broader measures to limit Tehran’s capabilities.
