US has only 25% of Patriot missiles, so it has suspended arms supplies to Ukraine - Guardian
The United States has only about 25% of the required minimum number of Patriot interceptor missiles to implement its military plans. Because of this, in June, it was decided to temporarily suspend the supply of these systems, including abroad.
This was reported by The Guardian, citing sources, Censor.NET reports.
According to the interlocutors of the publication, US Deputy Secretary of Defense Steven Feinberg authorized the freeze on supplies after checking the data of the Pentagon's global ammunition tracking system, which showed a critical reduction in stocks. In some cases, stockpiles have not reached the minimum required level since 2022, the start of large-scale military assistance to Ukraine.
The deployment of interceptors in the Middle East to protect Israel and fight the Houthis, as well as the recent use of Patriots in the bombing of Iranian targets, when the United States fired at least 30 of them, have further depleted stockpiles.
Although President Donald Trump has stated that he will "send more weapons to Ukraine," it is not known for certain whether this list includes Patriots. Representatives of the White House and the Pentagon confirmed the partial resumption of supplies on his behalf, but the list of systems is not made public.
Currently, the United States provides assistance to Ukraine through two main channels: by reducing its own stockpiles of the Ministry of Defense and through the USAI program, which orders weapons from private manufacturers. Both mechanisms are under threat, as the Pentagon is now prioritizing replenishment of its own arsenal.
US suspends aid to Ukraine
Earlier, the media reported that the United States had suspended the shipment of missiles and ammunition to Ukraine due to concerns about the state of American arsenals. Subsequently, the White House confirmed the suspension of missiles and ammunition shipments to Ukraine and stated that the interests of the United States were a priority.
A PBS journalist said that in addition to PAC-3 interceptor missiles intended for Patriot systems, the Pentagon also stopped the supply of 155-mm artillery shells, GMLRS missiles intended for M270 MLRS and HIMARS systems, Stinger anti-tank missiles, and AIM-7 and Hellfire air defense missiles.
The Ministry of Defense said that Ukraine has not received any official notifications about the suspension or revision of the delivery schedules of defense assistance from the United States, which was agreed upon during the previous administration.
In a video address on July 2, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about the progress of negotiations with the United States on the suspension of defense aid.
Later, US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said that the United States had not stopped supplying weapons to Ukraine and that the situation with one of the decisions did not affect Washington's overall commitments.
