Pentagon considers redirecting weapons meant for Ukraine to Middle East – WP

The Pentagon is considering redirecting military aid intended for Ukraine to the Middle East, as the war with Iran is depleting some of the US armed forces' most critical munitions.

Source: The Washington Post, citing ​​three people familiar with the matter, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The weapons that could be diverted from Ukraine include air defence interceptor missiles ordered under the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) programme, under which other NATO member states buy US-made weapons for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In a statement, a Pentagon spokesman said the Defense Department will "ensure that US forces and those of our allies and partners have what they need to fight and win" but declined to provide further comment.

A NATO official did not say whether the alliance is aware of any possible diversion of US equipment or whether it was concerned by the prospect. In an email, the official said countries "continue to contribute to PURL and equipment is continuously flowing into Ukraine".

Since the start of the US attack on Iran on 28 February, European capitals have been worried that Washington is rapidly burning through available munitions – a pace of fire that could delay their own orders and disrupt deliveries of US systems to Ukraine under PURL, two European diplomats told the WP on condition of anonymity.

"They [the US] are really burning through munitions, so there are questions now about how much they will keep providing through the deal," one of the diplomats said.

Among the most sought-after munitions in the war against Iran are high-tech interceptor missiles, including those used in Patriot air defence systems. Those same assets are also among Ukraine's most urgent needs as it continues to face waves of Russian strikes on its cities and infrastructure.

One of the people familiar with the Pentagon's internal calculations said deliveries under the PURL programme are likely to continue, but future batches might not include air defence assets because the US is seeking to replenish its own stocks and those of allies in the Gulf.

"The policy debate is how much you give to Ukraine. This is a real live discussion," a second person said.

One US official also said the Pentagon can redirect such deliveries in the event of an urgent military need, but would have to notify lawmakers.

In January, Congress approved an additional long-term military aid package for Ukraine worth US$400 million, funding a separate programme the Pentagon had intended to cut. The Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) contracts US firms to produce weapons that are sent directly to Kyiv, although fulfilling those orders can sometimes take years.

A notice sent by the Pentagon to Congress reviewed by The WP shows that the Defense Department has used some European PURL funding for other needs that lawmakers planned to finance through USAI with US funds.

A US official said it remains unclear whether the Pentagon used PURL funding in addition to or instead of the money Congress had already approved for supplying such weapons.

Separately, two US officials said the Pentagon informed Congress on Monday 23 March that it intends to redirect about US$750 million in funding provided by NATO countries through PURL to replenish US military stocks rather than provide additional aid to Ukraine.

The first official said it is unclear whether the European countries participating in the initiative understand exactly how that money is being spent.

Background:

• Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space, said about 800 US-made interceptor missiles had been used in three days in the Middle East, more than the roughly 700 missiles Ukraine had used over the winter period.
• Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said earlier that she was concerned that weapons and defence capabilities needed by Ukraine, including air defence systems, are currently being redirected to the Middle East.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier that the situation in the Middle East has not yet affected deliveries of US weapons to Ukraine under the PURL initiative, above all missiles for air defence systems.

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