Pentagon can take US arms meant for Ukraine

(MENAFN) According to reports citing confidential government documents, the Pentagon maintains a policy allowing it to redirect US-made military equipment initially intended for Ukraine back to American inventories.

The memo, reportedly authored by a senior Pentagon policy official known for skepticism about arming Ukraine, outlines that arms supplied through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) can be pulled back under certain conditions.

Though sources indicate that no such reclamations have yet occurred, the existence of this policy raises concerns that Ukraine could lose access to billions of dollars’ worth of US-manufactured weaponry expected to be delivered in the near future. This development adds complexity to the already unclear picture surrounding US arms shipments to Ukraine, especially as talks between the Russian and US presidents are anticipated.

The document reportedly requires explicit approval from the Defense Secretary for sending scarce items abroad, including interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems. This clause is part of the same directive that led to a temporary halt in shipments of such missiles to Ukraine last month, a decision justified by officials citing diminishing domestic stockpiles. However, the suspension was later reversed by the US president.

Additionally, the US leader has suggested that future American arms transfers to Ukraine might be contingent on financial arrangements where the European Union covers “100% of the cost of all military equipment.”

MENAFN10082025000045017281ID1109907709