Sources: Acute shortage of US missiles in Europe
The US military's stock of advanced air defense missiles in Europe is severely depleted, two military sources warn.
One of the reasons is the US war in Iran.
The most worrying shortage concerns Patriot missiles, which are capable of shooting down Russian ballistic missiles, for example, a source within US forces in Europe told the AP.
The news agency's second source, within NATO, confirms that the stocks in Europe have shrunk to low levels.
There are far too few missiles to stop a more extensive ballistic attack, and even a single attack would cause difficulties, the American source said.
Downplaying the risk of attack
CIA director John Ratcliffe visited Russia earlier this week under high-profile circumstances. According to sources to The Wall Street Journal, the purpose was to warn Russia against attacking NATO countries.
However, European intelligence services see no signs that Russia is planning any military attack on the continent's NATO countries, a senior EU source told AFP on Thursday.
That picture is also given by Donald Trump, who claims to have had "good talks" with Russia's Vladimir Putin.
- He will not attack NATO territory, the American president said on Thursday.
Used in the Middle East
In connection with the Iran war, the United States has moved many of its air defense missiles to the Middle East to shoot down drones and prevent missile attacks on American bases, among others. Stocks have also been somewhat depleted when equipment was donated to Ukraine.
President Donald Trump - who has denied that the United States has any shortage of missiles - has ordered American arms companies to increase production. He has also promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the country will be allowed to manufacture its own Patriot missiles.
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