Europe eyes US weapons for Ukraine amid dwindling American aid

European leaders are exploring the purchase of US-made weapons to arm Ukraine if the United States halts direct military aid.

Source: Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources

Details: Europe has neither the stockpile of weapons nor the capacity to produce enough to provide Ukraine with. At the same time, it is clear that the United States will no longer supply Ukraine with weapons and rejected European calls to tighten sanctions against Russia to force it to agree to an immediate ceasefire.

As Bloomberg sources noted, the proposal that is gaining more and more support is to purchase more American systems and then send these weapons to Ukraine. 

"The idea is that if Trump refuses to send US weapons to Ukraine, Europe will.

That would help Ukraine deter Russia’s advance and might put fresh pressure on Putin to get serious about a ceasefire. And if the Europeans can persuade Trump to keep up supplying intelligence to Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy may be able to hang on."

Details: The sources of the publication said they expect the United States to continue the exchange of intelligence information with Ukraine to help in targeting. The brief suspension of that cooperation has created operational challenges for Kyiv, but has also raised broader concerns among US allies that they could face similar attitudes in the future.

"Experts say arms transfers to Ukraine approved and funded by former President Joe Biden could run out this summer, and that Europe will struggle to produce enough weapons to fill the void. Putin will try to take advantage of this dynamic, experts said."

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