WASHINGTON (Fox News/Reuters) – The United States is close to running out of opportunities to continue delivering military aid to Ukraine, while Washington’s concern about a possible confrontation with Russia is growing, sources said.
Washington intends to slow down the delivery of modern weapons to Ukraine, including HIMARS missile systems, Javelin anti-tank missiles, Stinger air systems, and M-777 howitzers, the broadcaster reported.
At the same time, according to a congressional source, the risks of an escalation of the conflict with Russia are also forcing the U.S. authorities to reduce their activity in the supply of arms, although the possibilities for providing Kiev with new military aid packages still remain.
Defense Department Spokesman Patrick Ryder said that Washington and its allies will continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine, including planned deliveries of “key” weapons.
Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin has signaled that the U.S. and its Western allies are having trouble keeping pace with Ukraine’s demand for advanced weaponry, according to Fox News.
At a press conference where Ukraine’s key Western allies gathered in Brussels, Austin avoided providing a clear answer when he was asked whether the U.S. and other nations can supply the weapons Ukraine needs and stressed that the desire is there to get Ukraine what it needs.
The risk of reduced U.S. stockpiles of high-end munitions has been reported almost since the U.S. began contributing to Ukraine.
Now, nearly eight months since the start of Russia’s military operation, experts interviewed by Fox News Digital argue the U.S. is at or very near the end of its capacity to give.
They agreed that Austin’s remarks indicate that the initial rush of high-end munitions like HIMAR rocket launchers, Javelin anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft Stingers and M-777 Howitzers is over.
“There are some areas where we’re basically at the bottom of the barrel,” Mark Cancian, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic & International Studies told Fox News Digital. He added that Biden administration has “limited” supplies of HIMARs, Javelins, Stingers and M-777 Howitzers.
On Friday, the U.S. Defense Department said that Washington would donate more ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and additional artillery shells to Ukraine as part of a new $725 million military assistance package.
Since 2021, the U.S. has already provided $18.2 billion in military aid to Ukraine, while the amount of aid provided since 2014 has reached $20.3 billion.
On February 24, Russia began a military operation in Ukraine responding to calls for help from the republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. Western countries responded by imposing comprehensive sanctions against Moscow while also ramping up their military support for Kiev.
Russia’s defence ministry said on Sunday its forces had repelled efforts by Ukrainian troops to advance in the Donetsk, Kherson and Mykolaiv regions, inflicting what it described as significant losses against the enemy.
The battlefield reports could not immediately be verified.
Russia also said it was continuing air strikes on military and energy targets in Ukraine, using long-range precision-guided weapons.
“The goals of the attacks have been reached. All the assigned targets have been neutralized,” the ministry said.
Throughout the near eight-month conflict, Russian missiles have also struck civilian population centers in Ukraine. Russia denies targeting civilians in what it calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine which it launched on Feb. 24.