The delays affect several EU countries, including Baltic and Scandinavian states.
The US has informed European leaders that there will be delays in weapon deliveries due to the ongoing military operation in Iran. According to information from Reuters, the conflict has begun to deplete American stockpiles, limiting the ability to fulfill already agreed-upon contracts.
EU countries affected
The delays affect several EU countries, including Baltic and Scandinavian states. These specific countries rely heavily on American supplies to strengthen their defense.
Readjustment of priorities
US officials stated that, under current circumstances, it is not possible to fully implement deliveries as originally scheduled. This development highlights how geopolitical conflicts can directly affect defense supply chains and security balances in Europe. The decision of the United States to delay weapon deliveries to the European Union is not a simple technical issue — it reveals the depth of European dependence on the American defense industry. According to recent data from SIPRI, nearly 48% to 64% of the weapon systems imported by European countries come from the US, making them by far the primary supplier. At the NATO level, the dependence is even greater, with nearly two-thirds of weapon imports being of American origin.
Explosive increase in armaments after Ukraine
The demand for American weapons has skyrocketed in recent years: Europe increased its weapon imports by up to 210% in the 2021–2025 period, while NATO countries more than doubled their purchases after 2022. At the same time, European countries ended up being the largest customer of the US, absorbing up to 35% of American weapon exports. In value, through the Foreign Military Sales program alone, European purchases reached approximately $38.6 billion in 2025, while in 2024 they had even touched $76 billion.
Who buys and what they buy
The largest buyers in Europe include Poland and the United Kingdom, while significant programs include: Deliveries of Abrams tanks to countries such as Romania worth billions of dollars. Large programs for fighter jets and anti-aircraft systems. At the same time, a large part of European armies relies on cutting-edge American technology, such as F-35 fighters and advanced missile systems.
Delays hitting Europe's defense
The new delays are directly related to the war in Iran, which has exhausted critical US stockpiles, particularly in ammunition and high-tech systems. The countries most affected are Baltic and Scandinavian states, which rely on rapid deliveries to deter threats, primarily from Russia. This is not the first time: already in 2025, delays worth over $5 billion had been recorded in deliveries to NATO allies.
Strategic risk for Europe
This dependence creates a structural risk: when the US is involved in large-scale conflicts — as now in the Middle East — they prioritize their own operational needs. This means that European defense can find itself exposed at critical moments. This is why more and more European countries are considering strengthening domestic weapon production and reducing dependence on the US.
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