An administrative deadlock in Washington has led to the temporary halt of American arms exports worth over 5 billion dollars, destined for NATO allies and Ukraine, reports Axios, citing sources from the U.S. State Department.
According to the publication, the direct cause of the delays is bureaucratic paralysis caused by the government shutdown that began on October 1, following the failure of negotiations regarding the federal budget. As a result, thousands of public officials have either been sent on unpaid leave or continue to work without receiving salaries, and a number of essential administrative services have been suspended.
A high-ranking official from the State Department told Axios that the halt in the process “severely affects not only our allies and partners, but also the American defense industry, which can no longer deliver some of its critical capabilities abroad.”
Among the blocked contracts are deliveries of AMRAAM missiles, as well as Aegis and HIMARS combat systems, destined for Denmark, Croatia, and Poland.
The delays affect both direct sales between the U.S. government and allied states, as well as export agreements through private American companies. According to American legislation on the control of arms exports, all these transactions must be reviewed by Congress before being approved.
However, the authorization process has been almost paralyzed, as a large part of the employees of the Bureau for Politico-Military Affairs – responsible for coordinating these sales – have been sent on forced leave. “Last month, the office was operating with just a quarter of its usual staff,” the same official specified.
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