US not ready to supply Ukraine with ATACMS due to lack of stocks

The US does not have enough stocks of long-range missiles, and therefore the country is not ready to provide Ukraine with ATACMS systems.

Source: News and information service Politico, citing four well-informed sources

Details: The publication writes that in recent meetings, US officials told Kyiv representatives that it does not have any Army Tactical Missile Systems to spare, and that transferring ATACMS to the battlefield in Eastern Europe would dwindle America’s stockpiles and harm the US military’s readiness for a future fight.

In addition, Politico notes, the US is concerned that Ukraine would use the 190-mile range missiles to attack deep inside Russian territory and cross what the Kremlin has said is a red line, which is why the US is not shipping ATACMS to the frontlines any time soon.

"With any package, we always consider our readiness and our own stocks while providing Ukraine what it needs on the battlefield. There are other ways of providing Ukraine with the capabilities it needs to strike the targets," a senior Pentagon official told the publication.

According to another source, one workaround being considered by Kyiv is to ask for Washington’s approval to buy ATACMS from an allied country that operates the weapon, using military financing from the United States. The list of ATACMS users includes South Korea, Poland, Romania, Greece, Turkey, Qatar and Bahrain.

Another source told Politico that the next US aid package will not include ATACMS or F-16 warplanes, but will focus on ammunition, munitions, air defence and spare parts.

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