The Pentagon is considering redirecting some U.S.-made weapons originally slated for Ukraine through NATO channels to the Middle East, in response to the sustained pressure on American stocks of critical munitions due to ongoing operations against Iran. While these discussions have not yet reached final decisions, this shift underscores the increasingly acute trade-offs Washington faces as U.S. forces have already struck over 9,000 targets in less than four weeks. Equipment potentially subject to reallocation includes air defense interceptors, which were previously procured by allied nations through the NATO-led "Ukraine Priority Needs List" mechanism established last year and then delivered to Kyiv. A Pentagon spokesperson did not confirm the arrangement directly but stated that ensuring U.S. forces and allies and partners receive necessary equipment would remain a priority. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said key U.S.-supplied equipment for Ukraine “is still flowing continuously,” adding that since last summer, the mechanism has provided Ukrainian forces with approximately 75% of the Patriot system’s missiles, along with nearly all required ammunition for other air defense systems. When responding to the report, Trump did not directly confirm whether military aid would be drawn from Ukraine, but acknowledged that the U.S. “often does this”—reallocating equipment from one region to another. Following the Trump administration’s significant reduction in direct U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, European allies have become the primary pillars of funding and arms support for Ukraine, and this NATO-led mechanism was originally designed precisely to ensure Ukraine’s continued access to U.S.-made weapons.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1860789072258057/
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