(MENAFN) According to The New York Times, European nations backing Ukraine are unable to match the scale of U.S. military support due to limited arms production capabilities. Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. has scaled back its financial and military involvement in Ukraine, shifting focus toward domestic issues. The administration has also made it clear to NATO allies in Europe that the U.S. will no longer carry the defense burden alone.

The report highlights that no new American arms packages have been announced for Ukraine in over four months. Although the Pentagon still holds $3.85 billion in military aid designated for Ukraine, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not confirmed whether that aid will be delivered.

Ukraine is reportedly facing significant shortages in long-range missiles, artillery, and especially ballistic missile defense systems—most of which are produced in the U.S. While European leaders have expressed readiness to increase defense investments, industry experts estimate that it could take up to a decade for Europe to scale up weapons production sufficiently.

This issue arises as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a €800 billion fund to bolster EU defense spending, pointing to growing concerns over Russian aggression and diminishing U.S. support.

The Trump administration has also pressured European NATO members to raise their defense budgets to 5% of GDP, far above the previously agreed 2% target.

Meanwhile, Russia has criticized the EU’s rapid militarization, claiming that Europe is preparing for conflict rather than supporting peace initiatives. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has argued that the EU is now nearly indistinguishable from NATO due to its growing military posture.

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