Patriot interceptor missile reserves in the United States have decreased to approximately 25% of the level required for the Pentagon’s military planning. This shortage occurred after extensive missile use in the Middle East and has directly impacted the volume of aid to Ukraine, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to The Guardian.
According to the publication, Pentagon officials grew concerned that such a low number of missiles could jeopardize potential U.S. military operations. Consequently, Deputy Secretary of Defense Steven Feinberg authorized a temporary suspension of supplies to review where the weapons are being sent.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier stated that he would “send more weapons” to Ukraine, though he did not specify whether the Patriot system would be among them. During a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump claimed he was not responsible for the pause in shipments, saying he had ordered a review of U.S. weapon stockpiles but had not explicitly commanded a freeze.
Sources cited by The Guardian said the decision to suspend deliveries last month was largely based on information from the Pentagon’s global ammunition tracking system, which is used to determine the minimum levels of munitions required to carry out U.S. Armed Forces operational plans.
According to this system, several types of critical ammunition have been below this minimum threshold for years—since the start of military aid to Ukraine under former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Sources noted that the Trump administration began assessing depleted Patriot missile reserves and other ammunition around February. The process accelerated after the U.S. deployed more interceptors in the Middle East to support operations against the Houthis and in Israel.
The situation further escalated after Trump’s decision in June to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, during which the U.S. launched around 30 Patriot missiles to intercept Iranian ballistic missiles.
The recent depletion of Patriot and other munitions formed the basis of a “recommendation memo” written by Deputy Defense Secretary for Policy Elbridge Colby. The memo outlined several options to preserve strategic weapons and was sent to Feinberg’s office.
As a result, Feinberg made the corresponding decision, which was later approved by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
White House and Pentagon officials confirmed that certain shipments would be resumed at Trump’s instruction, though they did not clarify whether the arms headed to Ukraine would include munitions whose reserves are “critically low.”
The United States delivers weapons to Ukraine through two main channels: by drawing down the Department of Defense’s stockpiles and via the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), under which the Defense Department funds contractors to produce weapons specifically for Ukraine.
According to the sources, both delivery mechanisms were affected by the freeze, as the Pentagon prioritized replenishing its own stockpiles using the same contractors that supply Ukraine under the USAI program.
Earlier we wrote that Germany pushes for U.S.-approved Patriot delivery to Ukraine.