War in Iran: US considers redirecting military aid to Ukraine to the Middle East

The Ukraine might be deprived of American weapons? The Pentagon is studying the possibility of redirecting arms originally intended for Ukraine to the Middle East, where the war in Iran has significantly depleted American ammunition stocks, reports the Washington Post.

This change in strategy would particularly affect the missile interceptors for air defense ordered under the PURL program of NATO, specify three sources close to the matter to the American newspaper. Launched last year, this program allows partner countries to purchase American weapons for Kiev, bypassing direct aid cuts under the Trump administration.

Since Trump came to power, European countries have funded and armed Ukraine, notably through PURL. The countries have committed around $4 billion (€3.47 billion) for Ukraine under this program. But with the conflict in the Middle East and the rapid consumption of American ammunition, deliveries to Ukraine could be impacted.

Systems like Patriot and THAAD are already being redirected to the Middle East

In a statement, a Pentagon spokesperson stated that the Ministry of War “will ensure that American forces, as well as allied and partner forces, have everything they need to fight and win the victory,” without further comments. Meanwhile, Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General, confirmed the continuity of deliveries of vital equipment to Ukraine.

A European official clarified that only future shipments would be affected. “The United States is indeed consuming ammunition quickly, so the question now is how much they can still provide under this agreement,” he stated. Ukrainian ambassador Olga Stefanishyna acknowledged a “period of uncertainty,” while specifying that “the disruptions encountered at the beginning of the recent operations in the Middle East have been mitigated.”

Highly sought after by Ukraine, the Patriot and THAAD systems, high-tech air defense interceptors, have already been redirected by the United States to the Central Command in the Middle East to counter Iranian threats. A source close to the Pentagon indicated that future deliveries may not include air defense equipment.