Dozens of PAC-3 interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems, more than 250 precision-guided GMLRS rockets and AIM missiles fired by F-16 fighter jets and NASAMS missile systems are among weapons reportedly held back by Washington.
Thousands of 155mm Howitzer munitions, more than 100 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles and dozens of portable Stinger surface-to-air missile systems have also been stopped by the Pentagon, NBC reports.
The US Patriot air defence system (Photo: Reuters)
Ukraine said it has called in the acting US envoy in Kyiv over munition shipments being blocked saying any cut-off would embolden Russia.
“European partners can try to cover a small pause in US shipments from their own stocks and orders for these weapons, but cannot replace the scale of US deliveries, nor sustain Ukraine’s needs for them even in the medium term without US supplies,” he added.
Mykola Bielieskov, a research fellow at the National Institute for Strategic Studies in Kyiv, said cutting off air defence support and GMLRS supplies would be most harmful to Ukraine, adding “everything else we can live with”.
“Europe can spare some of their PAC-2 interceptors, but unfortunately, Europe itself doesn’t have, or doesn’t produce, PAC-3 interceptors. So that’s a major problem.
Ukrainian soldiers with a US made Stinger MANPAD (man-portable air-defense system) on the frontline in 2022 in Bakhmut (Photo: Pierre Crom/Getty Images)North Korea has supplied more than 100 ballistic missiles to Russia, a recent multi-national report found, with the Kremlin possibly preserving its stockpile for a winter campaign targeting Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, Mr Bielieskov said.
A shortage in Europe of long-range multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) munitions for striking ground targets would also make it “difficult” to compensate for any shortfall from the US.
“The UK exhausted its stock, as far as I understand. Germany might have something, but only the US is producing,” Mr Bielieskov said.
While European armies could spare their own air-to-air missiles, such as the AIM-120 or AIM-9, it would require politicians to enforce decisions on the military, he said.
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Nato’s 32 members have agreed to spend five per cent of GDP on defence and security by 2035.
“You can throw cash right now, but it won’t buy you production capability. Europe demilitarised for 35 years.
“You can have money, but it doesn’t give you things you need instantly. So in this case, the US is still an indispensable nation.”
Kyiv’s Western backers, however, had failed to explain to voters the importance of backing Ukraine and the financial expense that it required.
“So once again, it’s a clear sign that there is not the political commitment and the understanding of how vital this is for our survival.”
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