US digs into its global shells stocks for Ukraine amid shortage: WSJ
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Pentagon is met with hesitation after seeking more artillery from countries with large inventories.
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A photo provided by the Air Force last year shows personnel preparing weapons and other equipment bound for Ukraine (AFP)
A report published by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Ukraine's insatiable demand for artillery for several months has exceeded Western expectations, leading the United States to turn to its stockpiles to help Kiev prepare for a counterattack on Russia.
The newspaper reported that US allies are "unwilling" or "unable" to supply enough ammunition for Ukraine, and the US military is pulling from its munition supplies in a number of locations, including "Israel," South Korea, Germany, and Kuwait. It adds that these sites, known as prepositioned stocks, are where the US stores everything from trucks to bandages to support American forces around the world.
It further explains that the pressure on the US to suck out more ammunition from its overseas stocks comes as some of Washington's allies with the biggest storage of artillery rounds have shied away from supplying Ukraine for fear of being "seen by Russia as a party to fight in Ukraine."
Read next: US facing 'great urgency' over ammunition supply to Ukraine: Politico
The Pentagon declined to comment on the specifics of stockpiles it has drawn from to supply Ukraine, according to WSJ. “The Department has stocks that are located all around the world and we do not withdraw them without the support and consultation from our allies and partners,” Sabrina Singh, deputy press secretary, said in a statement.
A recent poll conducted last month demonstrated that many Americans are growing impatient with the US government's support of Ukraine. According to a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, support among the American public for giving Ukraine weapons and direct economic assistance has waned as the war approaches its one-year mark.
48% support the United States giving arms to Ukraine, 29% oppose it, and 22% are neither in favor nor opposed, as per the poll. In May 2022, less than three months into the war, 60% of US adults supported sending weapons to Ukraine, it further showed.
Read next: Ukraine utilized a large amount of artillery rounds: US SecDef
The poll revealed that Americans are roughly evenly divided on whether or not to transfer federal funding directly to Ukraine, with 37% in favor, 38% opposed, and 23% say neither.
It is noteworthy that Ukraine has become the third largest importer of major weapons in 2022, as a result of the military aid provided by the US and European countries since February 2022.
During the last week of January, Major US defense companies reported a jump in records in new contracts as the NATO-orchestrated war in Ukraine continued to fuel a massive increase in arms demand, according to Responsible Statecraft.
