Europe worried
US could divert Ukraine weapons to the Middle East
March 27, 2026 – 7:27 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
US forces are expending ammunition at a rapid pace in the Middle East. This could also have consequences for Ukraine’s arms supply.
The speed with which US forces are using munitions in the war against Iran in the Middle East is causing concern in European countries. According to a report in the Washington Post, the Pentagon is currently considering making weapons that were actually intended for Ukraine available to its own armed forces in the Middle East. According to a report by Politico, Trump administration officials are already warning European allies that there could be delays in delivery of the weapons systems ordered for Ukraine.
Specifically, this concerns weapons that were ordered from the USA for Ukraine via the European procurement initiative “PURL”. This is a NATO program that was set up last year after the USA under President Donald Trump stopped its direct arms deliveries to Ukraine.
However, it is currently not clear whether and to what extent the increased needs of American forces in the Middle East actually affect arms deliveries to Ukraine. In a statement, a Pentagon spokesman said the Defense Department will ensure that “US forces and those of our allies and partners have everything they need to fight and win.”
A European official told The Washington Post that such a scenario would not initially have an immediate impact on Ukraine’s supply, as “some things are already underway.” Future deliveries in one to two months would be affected.
Among the most sought-after types of ammunition in Ukraine are interceptor missiles for Patriot and THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) systems. The Ukrainian government has not yet confirmed the possible delivery delays. A spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry told Politico that Marco Rubio did not inform him about future interruptions in arms deliveries during a conversation on the sidelines of the G7 meeting. He did not provide further details of the conversation.
