U.S. Shifts Weapons Delivery Priority From Europe to Middle East

Washington has shifted the priority of arms deliveries, including air defense systems, from Europe to the Middle East, the Financial Times reports.

In addition to arms supplies, the war in the Middle East has diverted Donald Trump’s attention from efforts to achieve a peace settlement in the Russia-Ukraine war. According to EU diplomats, this situation benefits Russia due to higher oil prices, the suspension of U.S. sanctions, and the rapid depletion of American ammunition needed by Ukraine.

“This is certainly a problem, because there is essentially competition for the same resources between the Middle East and Ukraine,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told the Financial Times.

On March 4, it was reported that the United States had ignored requests from countries in the Persian Gulf to replenish their stocks of interceptor missiles for air defense systems.

At least one country in the region that has been targeted by Iranian attacks received an evasive response to its request to replenish arsenals that had been depleted since the start of hostilities.

Another country, responding to a U.S. request to use its air bases, raised questions about security guarantees and the reliability of air defense supply.

It is possible that this rhetoric was reconsidered after Washington realized that the confrontation with Iran could last until the autumn, and that the region’s air defenses therefore needed to be strengthened.

Overall, this is not the first time that Ukraine’s air defense has faced a shortage of missiles due to events in the Middle East.

For example, last June it became known that the United States had redirected 20,000 APKWS laser-guided anti-aircraft rockets that were intended for Ukraine to its Air Force units in the Middle East.

Although this weapon was purchased under a dedicated program for Ukraine, the U.S. Secretary of Defense has the authority to redirect it to the needs of the United States military in the event of an ‘urgent requirement.’

In addition to shifting the direction of defense supplies, the United States has begun weakening its air defense in other regions of the world in order to strengthen it in the Middle East.

The U.S. is redeploying some of its THAAD missile defense systems from South Korea. These batteries had previously been deployed to strengthen protection against ballistic missiles from North Korea.

In addition, the United States is also moving interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defense system from the Indo-Pacific region and other basing locations to the Middle East.