War on Iran likely to delay US arms deliveries to Europe – Reuters

Baltic and Scandinavian countries could be among those affected, sources have told the agency

US officials have warned their European counterparts that the supply of previously contracted American arms could be delayed due to dwindling stockpiles as a result of the war on Iran, Reuters has reported, citing sources.

Tensions have been mounting between Washington and its NATO allies since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, with President Donald Trump branding the Europeans “cowards” for their unwillingness to join the military operation. Trump has also warned of a possible American withdrawal from the bloc.

Several European nations, including those in the Baltic and Scandinavia, are now unlikely to receive promised US arms deliveries in time, Reuters reported on Thursday.

The sources declined to name the exact countries because some share a border with Russia, making the news of possible delays in deliveries “sensitive defense information,” Reuters said.

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The delayed weaponry includes various munitions that can be deployed for both offensive and defensive purposes, according to the agency’s sources.

Trump has long pressured European NATO members to buy more American arms so that they can take security on the continent into their own hands, and also to supply Ukraine during the conflict with Russia.

Moscow has rejected as “nonsense” claims that it harbors any aggressive plans against NATO, saying that Western politicians are using Russia to scare the population and justify increased militarization. According to Russian officials, the country will only fight the bloc if it is attacked first.

On Thursday, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu issued a warning to Finland and the Baltic states over Ukrainian drones reaching Russia via their territory.

Either Western air defenses are proving ineffective against Kiev’s UAVs or Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia “deliberately provide their airspace, thereby becoming open accomplices in aggression against Russia,” he said.

READ MORE: Russian security chief issues drone attack warning to four NATO states

In the latter case, Moscow has the right to self-defense in response to an “armed attack” under Article 51 of the UN Charter, Shoigu stressed.