ROME, July 4. /TASS/. The US is not cutting arms supplies to Ukraine because its stockpiles are low, as has been reported, the move is purely political, Gianluca Di Feo, a military observer with Italy’s leading daily La Repubblica, stated on Friday.
"Is it true that the Pentagon is really so short on resources that it decided to block the supply of small shipments to Ukraine? The data analysis indicates that the motivation voiced by the US administration is devoid of military significance and appears to be an exclusively political decision," Di Feo states.
The Italian military journalist highlighted that the 8,500 155 mm artillery shells that have recently been halted can be produced by the US defense industry "in less than five days."
He also pointed out that "the shipment of about 30 Patriot PAC-3 missiles has been frozen," despite the fact that 500 of them were assembled over the past year.
"The situation is made more complicated by the belief that European nations are unable today to compensate for the suspension of US [military] supplies," the Italian journalist continued.
"In fact, the relatively small volumes can be quickly replenished by using reserves from various countries. If the suspension of supplies from Washington lingers, however, the industrial weakness of the Old World will become clear," Gianluca Di Feo added.
Earlier in the week, the New York Times newspaper reported that the United States would suspend deliveries of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems, GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) precision-guided weapons, Hellfire guided missiles, Stinger man-portable air-defense systems and some other weapons to Kiev.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said it summoned US Charge d'Affaires John Ginkel to discuss the situation with halted supplies.
Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell subsequently declined to specify the types of weapons still being supplied to Kiev by the United States.