Zelensky Warns: Ukraine Must Be Prepared for Possible Halt in U.S. Arms Supplies

During a recent interaction with journalists, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted the critical necessity for Ukraine to prepare for a possible interruption in arms supplies from the United States. He stated that, at present, there are no indications suggesting that American weapon deliveries might be suspended. This information was reported by the news agency Ukrinform and the publication European Truth.

Zelensky underscored that during the 2023 meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, he had already warned military officials that U.S. assistance could be halted or become limited and costly. 'We need to diversify our supplies and reduce expenditures on various scarce weapons and munitions. I urged everyone to start preparing for the possibility that at some point, even if we have the money, Ukraine may not receive weapons,' the president remarked.

Furthermore, Zelensky revealed that since his warning, Ukraine has shifted its focus towards the production of drones instead of artillery shells. He pointed out that missiles for the Patriot air defense system will not always be available, emphasizing the necessity of developing a robust domestic defense industry.

'Right now, there is a war in the Middle East, and other reasons may arise that could impact arms supplies. We must build our independent defense industry in all aspects. Essentially, that is what we are doing. We have a shortage of anti-ballistic missiles. Therefore, it is crucial to work on having our own missiles or collaborating with partners to produce them. There are relevant ideas,' Zelensky stressed.

The context for these statements comes in light of recent reports from the Financial Times, which indicated that former U.S. President Donald Trump allegedly threatened European allies with a halt in arms supplies to Ukraine under the PURL program if they did not join the operation to unblock the Strait of Hormuz.

Following this, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker stated that Trump is reassessing not only the country’s membership in the Alliance but also its support for European efforts in Ukraine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also commented on the matter, stating on March 28 that the U.S. is not redirecting weapons purchased by NATO countries for Ukraine to the Middle East, but he did not rule out such a possibility in the future.