The U.S. May Delay Deliveries, but Latvia Has Not Been Notified 0 11

Latvia is undertaking a series of large-scale military procurement from the U.S. — currently, the National Armed Forces have 46 active intergovernmental agreements with the U.S., the ministry noted.

In accordance with the Baltic Security Initiative, with significant financial support from the U.S., important defense capabilities are being strengthened, including the enhancement of ground forces and long-range firepower, for example, through the acquisition of HIMARS artillery rocket systems, the development of integrated air and missile defense, as well as the enhancement of command capabilities and special operations units.

It was previously reported that U.S. representatives informed European colleagues about the possible delay of some arms deliveries for which agreements have already been concluded, as the stockpiles of weapons are being reduced due to the war with Iran, according to Reuters, citing five informed sources. This concerns several European countries, including those in the Baltic region and Scandinavia.

Some of these weapons were purchased by European countries under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program but have not yet been delivered, the sources clarified.

According to them, U.S. representatives informed European officials that deliveries are likely to be delayed. The expected delays indicate how much the stockpiles of critically important U.S. weapons have been reduced due to the war with Iran, Reuters notes.

The agency's sources spoke on condition of anonymity and did not specify the particular countries affected by the delays. Some of them border Russia, so the delivery schedules are considered sensitive defense information. Among the delayed deliveries are various types of ammunition, including those used for both offensive and defensive purposes.

On April 17, at a meeting in Tallinn, the heads of government of Estonia and Lithuania acknowledged the possible delays in the delivery of American weapons, while Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina stated that there is no official information about this.