Friends, today let’s talk about what is happening with the supply of weapons from the USA to Ukraine. If earlier new aid packages were coming regularly and in large quantities, now the situation has changed a bit. What caused the decrease in aid? And why is this important?
Pentagon’s Supplies are Running Out
One of the main reasons for the reduction in military aid is that the Pentagon started running out of weapons and equipment. As reported by CNN, the USA is facing a situation where there is simply not enough weaponry on the shelves to transfer to Ukraine without compromising their own defense capabilities.
American officials directly state that helping Ukraine is important, but one must also consider their own security. Therefore, the Pentagon must carefully consider what and when to send. Another important point is that weapon production in the USA takes time.
Ammunition Production is Increasing, But Not Enough
Even with the launch of new plants and production lines, the USA is unable to meet the demand. For example, before the start of the war, they were producing approximately 15,000 155mm artillery shells per month. Now these volumes have increased to 40,000 per month. This is significant progress, but reaching the goal of 100,000 shells per month is still far off – it will take at least a year.
It is important to understand that not everything the USA produces can be immediately transferred to Ukraine. A large part of this weaponry is also needed to ensure the defense of the USA and their allies. Therefore, America must balance between the needs of Ukraine and their own reserves.
New Aid Packages: Why Are They Smaller?
A year ago, the United States regularly announced new aid packages, which often amounted to hundreds of millions of dollars, and sometimes over a billion. But now the situation has changed. The cost of each new aid package has decreased and now ranges from $125-$400 million. For comparison: in 2022-2023, individual packages reached $600-$800 million, with the largest one at the beginning of 2023 amounting to $2.85 billion!
This change is not only due to the depletion of reserves, but also to delays in the approval of new financial packages by the US Congress. The Pentagon is asking for more time to use existing funds, as new supplies impact combat readiness.
Weapon Production: How Long to Wait?
Even with additional funding and expanding production lines, the US cannot quickly deploy all equipment without causing harm to itself. This is one reason why aid packages are not sent in large quantities all at once, but are distributed over time.
Another important point is that Ukraine also cannot immediately receive and distribute all the weapons. This also affects the pace of supply.
What’s Next?
Although the US aid has decreased, it is important to understand that Ukraine continues to receive support. US officials state that aid packages will continue approximately every two weeks, just in smaller amounts. The Pentagon is actively working on increasing weapon production, but it is a process that will take several years.
Therefore, it is important to understand that we are not left without support, but the US is also pressured to ensure its own security. Meanwhile, we see support from other countries and organizations that are helping Ukraine during this difficult time.
Friends, the situation is difficult, but that doesn’t mean that help has stopped. Yes, the Pentagon is facing challenges due to depleted supplies, but the USA continues to support Ukraine. Arms production is increasing, and new aid packages are coming through, although in smaller quantities. We believe that our allies will not abandon us in difficult times and will continue to help in the fight against the aggressor.
