BRUSSELS, February 25. /TASS/. The potential halt to military supplies by the US to Ukraine will make the country’s armed forces lose approximately half of its arms, including the most modern pieces, according to Ben Barry, a senior research fellow at London’s International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
He told the European edition of Politico that EU countries are currently unable to properly make up for the lack of gas supplies from the US in the event of their immediate cessation. Countries of the European Union may replace US-made Abrams tanks by building up the supplies of German Leopards, and Patriot air defense systems from the US by IRIS and NASAMS, but it would not resolve the issue of supplies of ammunition and long-range munitions, while the expansion of their production would take years.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys also noted that there is "certain weaponry, certain equipment [that] Europe cannot substitute for the US," despite the EU nations’ increase in defense spending. Ukrainian lawmaker Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze added that they "just don't have what the Americans have." According to Budrys, the EU may increase the funds invested into the production of arms in Ukraine itself, which would lessen the dependency on US supplies, but it needs the matching political will from EU members.
Politico noted that the loss of military support by Washington "will be a major blow" to Kiev, although it would be possible for the Ukrainian army to continue combat operations at the current pace "for many months" with the support of the EU. The article argued that over the period of the conflict, Ukraine has gained certain independence from external supplies with regard to the production of unmanned aerial vehicles. However, the newspaper noted that Ukraine cannot continue military operations without assistance from its allies. "Despite the brave face, Ukraine is desperate for the US to stay," the news outlet added.
Earlier, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said that Washington was engaged in reforming the approach to interacting with Moscow and to providing assistance to Kiev in order to receive returns from this help. He also noted that US President Donald Trump was disappointed by Zelensky’s actions and statements. The advisor emphasized that Kiev has not been conducting constructive work on the deal, which implies the United States receiving natural resources from Ukraine, but rather has been making inappropriate statements regarding the US leader.