“We have, of course, informed all the affected countries that we are taking this extraordinary step, and we’re making every effort to minimize any negative impact,” Kirby said. He added that when U.S. allies were told their shipments would be delayed, “the response we got was broadly supportive … because they know how serious the need is in Ukraine.”
The Patriot and NASAMS systems are the two most sophisticated air defense platforms the West has provided to Ukraine, and have been central to its defense against Russian missiles and drones that have attacked civilian infrastructure.
Kirby did not specify how long U.S. allies would need to wait for their delayed orders, but said the reprioritization would not impact Taiwan, which faces a threat from China, or Israel, which faces threats from Iranian-backed groups in the Middle East, including Hezbollah and Houthi militants.
A State Department official declined to comment on which partners may be affected or when the munitions would be redirected, citing ongoing diplomatic conversations about the process.
The policy change was first reported by Financial Times.
This is a developing story. It will be updated.
