US war buildup forces pause in Ukraine arms shipments
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The Pentagon has paused shipments of key air defense and precision munitions to Ukraine due to low US stockpiles.
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A Patriot missile mobile launcher is displayed outside the Fort Sill Army Post near Lawton, Oklahoma, on March 21, 2023. (AP)
The Pentagon has halted shipments of critical air defense missiles and precision munitions to Ukraine due to mounting concerns that US weapons stockpiles have "fallen too low," Politico reported.
The move, reportedly spearheaded by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, follows an internal review of US military reserves. The review concluded that current stockpiles of Patriot interceptors, Hellfire missiles, precision-guided artillery rounds, and other vital munitions have fallen to levels considered insufficient for America’s own national defense priorities.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly confirmed the decision, stating it was made “to put America’s interests first” following a Department of Defense reassessment of global military aid commitments. “The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned — just ask Iran,” she said in a statement.
The shipments originally authorized under the Biden administration were part of two aid streams: emergency drawdowns from existing stockpiles and contracts signed through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. According to Politico, this freeze affects both channels and comes into effect just as Ukraine faces its heaviest wave of Russian aerial attacks in over a year.
Strategic consequences
The suspension of aid includes munitions for Ukraine’s Patriot air defense systems and missiles used by F-16 fighters and drones. The impact is expected to be severe, especially as Ukraine repels intensified Russian missile and drone barrages.
US lawmakers expressed alarm over the decision. Representative Marcy Kaptur, co-chair of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, warned that halting such aid “will surely result in the imminent death of many Ukrainian military and civilians.”
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Long-term repercussions
Military experts warn that while air defense alone won’t win the war for Ukraine, its absence could hasten defeat. “Air defense won’t win a war for you — but the absence of it will lose one fast,” said Tom Karako, a missile defense specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He noted that the US Army has recently quadrupled its requirement for Patriot MSE interceptors, but ramping up production would take months.
With limited stockpiles and production constraints, Washington is reportedly also redirecting key munitions, including artillery shells and air defense systems, to other theaters, including "Israel" and US homeland defense.
Fallout from US aggression on Yemen forces new strategy
The shift in strategy has also been influenced by lessons drawn from the recent US aggression on Yemen, where American and allied forces consumed large volumes of air defense munitions in operations against the Yemeni Armed Forces. According to a source familiar with Pentagon deliberations, the Defense Department had, as early as February, been categorizing its munitions based on criticality, after realizing that the Yemen campaign had significantly depleted key assets.
An action memo was reportedly prepared for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth months ago to pause shipments of the most short-supplied munitions, including those being sent to Ukraine. However, internal turnover within the Pentagon delayed the move, which has now materialized as a partial freeze.
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