US officials have informed some European colleagues that arms deliveries under previously signed contracts are likely to be postponed because of the war with Iran, Reuters reported, citing five sources familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity.
According to them, this will affect several European countries, in particular, the Baltic States and Scandinavia.
This concerns some weapons that European countries have purchased under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, but which have not yet been delivered to customers. The U.S. administration, according to journalists, has notified the partners that these deliveries will be postponed.
Reuters notes that the White House and the State Department have redirected enquiries on the matter to the Pentagon, there have not yet commented.
According to the agency’s observations, the delay in arms deliveries shows the extent to which the military operation against Iran “is beginning to deplete U.S. stocks of some critical weapons and ammunition.”
At the same time, it is noted that the US had reduced its stockpile of billions of dollars worth of weapons, including artillery systems, ammunition and anti-tank missiles even before the war with Iran – after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s military operation in Gaza.