The Trump administration has warned allied nations that shipments of military equipment to Ukraine could be interrupted as the U.S. military seeks to replenish dwindling stockpiles for its ongoing conflict with Iran.
According to multiple European officials involved in recent discussions, the State Department indicated that deliveries of munitions—including Patriot air defense interceptors—might face disruptions. This development follows reports that the War Department was weighing whether to redirect weapons originally intended for Ukraine.
The potential shift would support U.S. operations in the war against Iran, where military strikes have targeted more than 10,000 sites since hostilities began on February 28. The at-risk weapons were ordered through a NATO program launched last year under the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, which allows partner nations to purchase U.S. arms for Kyiv.
Despite the Trump administration ending nearly all direct security assistance from the War Department, PURL has ensured steady military equipment deliveries to Ukraine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was expected to address concerns about weapon diversion at a Group of Seven meeting with foreign ministers in France on Friday. During his departure from the event, Rubio stated that “nothing has been diverted,” but added such actions “could happen.”
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte confirmed U.S. equipment for Ukraine continues to flow into the country, noting PURL has supplied approximately 75% of all missiles for Ukraine’s Patriot batteries and 90% of ammunition for other air defense systems. Heorhii Tykhyi, a spokesperson for Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, reported that Rubio had not informed Ukrainian officials about potential disruptions to PURL deliveries during a bilateral meeting on Friday at the G7 event but declined further details.
At Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump acknowledged the U.S. routinely diverts munitions between purposes: “We have tremendous amounts of ammunition… We are packed. Sometimes we take from one and we use for another.” He also referenced former President Joe Biden’s administration: “We help Ukraine… He gave $350 billion away, way too much; we sell it now to NATO, and they probably give it to Ukraine, mostly. We get paid for everything; we don’t give anything anymore.”
The War Department declined to comment on specifics but reiterated that America’s military remains the most powerful globally and will ensure allies have what is needed to “fight and win.”
