US source says allies will be equipped as Pentagon reportedly weighs shifting Ukraine aid to Middle East
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The Pentagon is considering redirecting military aid intended for Ukraine to the Middle East, the Washington Post reported on March 26, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
The potential move comes as the U.S. expands operations against Iran, raising concerns in Kyiv about possible delays in urgently needed air defense supplies amid intensifying Russian attacks.
According to the reporting, the weapons under consideration include air defense interceptor missiles ordered through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program, which allows other NATO members to fund the procurement of U.S. weapons for Ukraine.
A Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent that Kyiv is concerned about such a possibility.
A Department of War official said the U.S. military remains committed to ensuring both American forces and their allies are equipped to succeed, while declining to discuss specifics.
"America's military is the most powerful in the world, and we will ensure that U.S. forces and those of our allies and partners have what they need to fight and win," the official told the Kyiv Independent.
"For operational security reasons, we will not comment on any specific allied or partner requirements or ongoing efforts to support them."
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has largely refrained from providing Ukraine with direct military aid, unlike the previous administration of Joe Biden. Instead, assistance has primarily taken the form of weapons sales.
The possible shift also comes as Russia intensifies aerial strikes. Moscow launched nearly 1,000 attack drones against Ukraine over a 24-hour period between March 23 and March 24, in what appeared to be one of the largest aerial assaults of the full-scale war.
European capitals have expressed concern that Washington is rapidly depleting its ammunition stockpiles during operations in the Middle East. Officials fear the pace of use could delay their own orders and disrupt deliveries of U.S. systems to Ukraine under the PURL program.
The final decision on whether to redirect the equipment has not yet been made.
The Trump administration has previously paused military aid to Ukraine in an effort to pressure Kyiv into peace talks with Russia. A suspension of assistance through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List would mark the first such step involving the program.
