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US has not diverted weapons for Ukraine to Middle East, but it could happen – Rubio
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington has not redirected weapons intended for Ukraine to the Middle East, but may do so.
He said this while speaking to reporters, CNN reports, Censor.NET informs.
Weapons may be redirected to the Middle East
"That has not happened yet. Nothing yet has been diverted, but it could," the U.S. secretary of state said.
Rubio noted that weapons sold under PURL are American, so if the United States needs to replenish its own arsenals, that will be the priority.
"Let me be clear that if the United States has a military need, whether to replenish our stocks or to carry out some mission in the national interest of the United States, we will always come first," the State Department chief said.
Background
- Earlier, media outlets reported that the Pentagon is considering redirecting some weapons intended for Ukraine to the Middle East amid the depletion of U.S. Army ammunition stocks.
- Among the weapons that could be redirected are interceptor missiles for air defense systems ordered under the PURL program, under which U.S. NATO partners buy American weapons for Ukraine. At the same time, the publication’s sources said that no final decision has yet been made.
- For his part, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte assured that American weapons continue to arrive in Ukraine.
