Kyiv will request that Washington allow EU countries to purchase American weapons for Ukraine.

The decision by the US presidential administration to halt some military aid to Ukraine also impacted weapons already stored in warehouses in Poland. At the time the deliveries were stopped, the inventory included over 20 Patriot PAC-3 missiles, more than 20 Stinger systems, Hellfire missiles, and more than 90 AIM missiles.

Ukraine’s multi-layered air defense system combines Soviet-era and Western-made systems, many of which depend heavily on missiles supplied by the US. As a result, Ukraine’s medium- and long-range air defense will become particularly vulnerable if there are long delays or reductions in American missile supplies. The architecture of Ukrainian air defense primarily relies on Stinger, APKWS, AIM-7, HAWK, GEM-T, MSE, AIM-9, and AIM-120 missiles. Some of these missile types are used by Ukrainian F-16 fighters.

Consequently, Ukraine plans to ask Washington to allow EU countries to purchase American weapons for Kyiv. Ukraine is also willing to buy additional US-supplied air defense systems previously received as military aid. The US and Ukraine are working to arrange a phone call between their presidents to discuss these issues.

Meanwhile, the US State Department and Pentagon have stated that there is no intention of completely ceasing aid to Ukraine and they currently are performing a “review of options” for coordinating aid to Ukraine.