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US government shutdown delays arms exports to NATO members
(MENAFN) The ongoing US government shutdown has postponed more than $5 billion in arms exports to European NATO members, slowing subsequent transfers to Ukraine, according to reports.
A protracted budget dispute between Democrats and Republicans in Congress has left the shutdown unresolved for 40 days, making it the longest in US history.
“This is actually really harming both our allies and partners and US industry to actually deliver a lot of these critical capabilities overseas,” a senior State Department official said.
The affected arms exports include AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, HIMARS systems, and other weapons intended for European NATO countries. While the official did not confirm final destinations, US exports to NATO members are frequently forwarded to Ukraine.
The delays are linked to a slowdown in congressional approvals, as the bureau responsible for briefing lawmakers on arms sales is functioning at roughly a quarter of its normal staff capacity. The shutdown has also frozen discussions between Washington and Kiev regarding future weapons deliveries.
US President Donald Trump has increasingly urged European NATO members to shoulder more responsibility in supporting Ukraine by purchasing American-made arms. “We send weapons to NATO, and NATO is going to reimburse the full cost of those weapons,” he stated earlier this year, following European commitments to meet a 5% of GDP defense spending target.
Russia has consistently condemned the supply of Western weapons to Ukraine, arguing that it makes donor nations participants in the conflict, which Moscow characterizes as a NATO-backed proxy war. According to Russia, such shipments only extend the fighting without altering the overall outcome.
A protracted budget dispute between Democrats and Republicans in Congress has left the shutdown unresolved for 40 days, making it the longest in US history.
“This is actually really harming both our allies and partners and US industry to actually deliver a lot of these critical capabilities overseas,” a senior State Department official said.
The affected arms exports include AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, HIMARS systems, and other weapons intended for European NATO countries. While the official did not confirm final destinations, US exports to NATO members are frequently forwarded to Ukraine.
The delays are linked to a slowdown in congressional approvals, as the bureau responsible for briefing lawmakers on arms sales is functioning at roughly a quarter of its normal staff capacity. The shutdown has also frozen discussions between Washington and Kiev regarding future weapons deliveries.
US President Donald Trump has increasingly urged European NATO members to shoulder more responsibility in supporting Ukraine by purchasing American-made arms. “We send weapons to NATO, and NATO is going to reimburse the full cost of those weapons,” he stated earlier this year, following European commitments to meet a 5% of GDP defense spending target.
Russia has consistently condemned the supply of Western weapons to Ukraine, arguing that it makes donor nations participants in the conflict, which Moscow characterizes as a NATO-backed proxy war. According to Russia, such shipments only extend the fighting without altering the overall outcome.
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