Europe faces up to prospect US may be unable to arm Nato allies
Summary
Europe is concerned that the United States may not be able to supply weapons it promised to NATO allies because US military stockpiles are running low after conflicts in Ukraine and Iran. NATO leaders, including President Donald Trump, are meeting in Turkey to discuss European defense spending and the US’s future support for the alliance.Key Facts
- The US has delayed or canceled deliveries of key weapons like Tomahawk missiles, Himars rocket artillery, and Patriot missiles to European NATO countries.
- US stockpiles of Patriot missiles have been heavily used, especially due to the war with Iran, with about 50% expended by April this year.
- These missiles are important to defend against attacks in Ukraine and protect Europe against possible conflict with Russia.
- Ukraine’s president said recent Russian attacks overwhelmed their missile defenses, partly because of a shortage of interceptor missiles.
- European countries are unhappy about the US shortages but are cautious about openly criticizing the Trump administration.
- The US wants NATO allies to raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP and spend much of it on buying American weapons.
- Europe plans to increase its own weapons production, but this could take 5 to 10 years, creating a risky gap during which Europe may be less defended.
- The US may prioritize sending weapons to allies like Israel, and it could take over 3 years to restock some missile supplies fully.
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