Bild: US air defence systems will last Ukraine only until the end of summer

AIR DEFENCE. Photo: Dominika Zarzycka / NurPhoto via Reuters

Ukraine will have a sufficient supply of US weapons to repel Russian attacks only by the end of the summer.

The German newspaper Bild writes about this with reference to the assessment of military experts.

Journalists report that the White House has suspended the supply of a number of important ammunition and missiles to Ukraine, including

• PAC-3 anti-aircraft missiles for the Patriot system, which is currently the only one capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles;
• GMLRS ammunition for HIMARS;
• 155-mm artillery shells;
• Stinger, AIM-7 and Hellfire missiles.

Bild calls the cessation of missiles for the Patriot «particularly dramatic». Without GMLRS ammunition, HIMARS will lose their effectiveness, and without AIM-7 missiles, Ukraine will not be able to fully use F-16s against drones.

Carlo Masala, a military expert at the publication, emphasises that all of these systems are critical. According to him, the situation could become critical as early as autumn if supplies are not resumed. Europe may have to look for ways to compensate for the deficit.

As a reminder, Pentagon chief Pete Hagel said the White House plans to cut the budget for security assistance to Ukraine in 2026.

Earlier it was reported that despite the expiration of the previous aid package to Ukraine, approved under President Joe Biden, the White House and the US Congress are not actually discussing new support.