Pentagon can divert some weapons meant for Ukraine to US stockpiles, CNN reports
The Pentagon could divert weapons built for Ukraine back into U.S. stockpiles, according to a July memo from the Pentagon's top policy official Elbridge Colby, CNN reported on Aug. 8, citing four unnamed sources.
Based on the memo, written by Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colby, the U.S. paused military aid to Ukraine in July.
According to the sources, the memorandum permits the Pentagon to reclaim weapons produced for Ukraine under the U.S. Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) and return them to U.S. stockpiles.
The USAI is a Pentagon-led program that supplies arms to Ukraine through contracts with U.S. defense companies.
Although no weapons appear to have been diverted so far, the provision could ultimately deprive Ukraine of billions of dollars’ worth of U.S.-made equipment slated for delivery in the coming months and years, CNN reported.
"That appears to undermine what the president has said the U.S. is doing to get Ukraine to what it needs," one of the sources told the channel.
Last week, a U.S. Senate committee approved $800 million for the USAI as part of the Pentagon’s annual budget, known as the National Defense Authorization Act.
However, under the new Pentagon policy, it remains uncertain whether the weapons funded by that money will ultimately be delivered to Ukraine, sources told CNN.
Colby’s memo also reportedly categorizes U.S. weapons into three groups — "red," "yellow," and "green." The first two indicate shortages and require additional approval before being sent abroad. This includes, among other things, interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems, according to CNN.
Earlier this week, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced the deal, saying that the U.S. State Department had greenlit the funds. The support includes technical assistance, training, publications, and other logistical support, with BAE Systems in Barrow-in-Furness, the U.K., as the principal contractor.
Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Aug. 6 that Washington had approved foreign military sales for Ukraine worth over $200 million for artillery support, transportation, and logistics.
Washington provided more than $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine under ex-President Joe Biden's administration, including key capabilities such as Patriot air defense systems, HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems), and ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems).
