Allies fear impact on Ukraine as war with Iran hits US weapon stockpiles - WP

U.S. allies in Europe are increasingly concerned about a key Trump administration program to arm Ukraine, as the war with Iran depletes American stockpiles and some countries question how the Pentagon is spending these funds, The Washington Post reports, citing 10 diplomats, officials, and congressional aides, according to UNN.

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A key issue is the prolonged delays in U.S. weapons sales caused by the war with Iran, where the U.S. military quickly exhausted its stockpiles of precision weapons during a joint campaign with Israel.

The Trump administration has not redirected equipment promised to Ukraine since the start of the attack on Iran, officials said. However, European officials are increasingly worried that the U.S. weapons shortage, which is already affecting their own orders, could also lead to delays for Ukraine.

European countries are purchasing American weapons for Ukraine under an initiative called PURL, which was brokered by NATO last summer. The deal was intended to ensure a flow of weaponry that only the Pentagon could provide—such as air defense missiles to protect Ukrainian cities from Russian strikes.

But in recent months, some European capitals have become more skeptical of the program, and some are even hesitating to pledge new funds, sources said.

"Europeans are hesitating because there is growing mistrust and a lack of confidence regarding what will happen to the money" as the war with Iran drags on, one European official said, adding: "There have been contributions [to PURL], but not very many."

The Trump administration has also pressured European capitals over the past year to buy American weapons for their own defense, as NATO countries rush to increase military spending. But faced with dwindling Pentagon stockpiles, allies from Europe to East Asia now expect to wait years to receive equipment they have already purchased, sources say.

Concerns over weapons deliveries are growing as the rift between Washington and its long-standing European allies deepens. Trump has rebuked European leaders for their hesitation to support the U.S. war against Iran, which is rocking the Middle East and straining the global economy. This month, following comments by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that Tehran was "humiliating" Washington, the Pentagon announced the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany. Trump suggested that further cuts could occur, specifically in Spain and Italy.

Although the Pentagon is considering redirecting orders to the Middle East, a senior Pentagon and NATO official assured a meeting of Ukraine supporters in April that deliveries to Ukraine via PURL would "continue as planned," according to two European officials.

In response to questions, NATO did not comment on concerns regarding PURL funds.

A NATO official stated that countries have allocated over $5.5 billion to the initiative. The official said allies "continue to make contributions to PURL," including recent pledges from Norway and Canada, adding that urgently needed American weapons paid for by allies continue to flow to Ukraine and are "making a real contribution on the battlefield."

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The sense of mistrust toward PURL grew as participating countries raised questions about how the Pentagon is using some of the funds. In March, the Washington Post reported that the Pentagon notified Congress of its intent to use $750 million provided through PURL to replenish U.S. weapons stockpiles. This amount would help restock equipment provided to Ukraine during the Biden administration rather than sending additional aid, multiple officials said.

Officials on both sides of the Atlantic have questioned whether using the money in this way violates European expectations that all their funds would go to Ukraine.

"This is a program that is supposed to be on a 'one-to-one' basis: a dollar goes in, a dollar of new capabilities comes out for Europe," said a Senate aide.

A senior Pentagon official did not deny that the administration used part of the funding to replenish its own stockpiles. However, the official described the talks on supporting Ukraine with NATO allies as an "invitation for Europe to build up its industrial capacity."

Several officials, including those who criticized the deal, acknowledged that PURL helped supply valuable American weapons to Ukraine in the fifth year of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Several European diplomats also indicated that their countries continue to support the initiative, which has received funding from allies including Germany, the Netherlands, and Estonia. 

Other countries, such as France and Italy, have instead provided direct aid and European weapons to Ukraine separately from the PURL program.

According to a Pentagon representative, the list of weapons and capabilities available for purchase under the program is coordinated with Ukraine, U.S. European Command, and senior leadership at the U.S. Department of Defense, who assess potential risks to the combat readiness of U.S. armed forces. This list includes weapons coming off U.S. defense industry assembly lines and equipment already in service with the army.

"The bottom line is that these decisions can be made consciously and deliberately," the Pentagon representative said. "That is exactly what this process allows."

The Pentagon declined to comment on specific capabilities within the program.

Nevertheless, the equipment provided through PURL does not match the high-end capabilities requested by Kyiv, many people reported.

Amid a shortage of PAC-3 interceptors for the Patriot air defense system, the Trump administration earlier this year pushed several European countries to send their own stockpiles of Patriot missiles to Ukraine, though some refused due to fears it would undermine their own defense, according to two sources familiar with the private discussions.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov stated in April that the new funds allocated to PURL are "extremely important" for the purchase of interceptors. "Please also check your stockpiles. We need more PAC-2s and PAC-3s to build up a reserve for the winter," he added.

A Pentagon representative confirmed that several allies contacted the U.S. Department of Defense to confirm that PURL contributions are not being redirected to support U.S. military operations in the Middle East.

"We have essentially conducted all necessary checks and were able to confirm to Congress that we are acting very, very strictly within the law, which, however, gives us the opportunity to replenish stockpiles sent to Ukraine," the Pentagon representative said.

Another European diplomat stated that questions about the PURL program have influenced ongoing debates among Europeans about how many American weapons they should purchase. "It makes it harder to advocate for keeping the door open for American weapons," the diplomat said, as Europe mobilizes funds for rearmament.

Meanwhile, in recent weeks, the Pentagon has come under fire from lawmakers of both parties, who demanded that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth explain why the administration has not spent $400 million allocated by Congress this year for a separate program that supplies American-made weapons to Ukraine.