Financial Times
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Ukrainian F-16 pilots running out of air-to-air missiles, falling back on cannons
Ukraine's F-16 pilots are facing an acute shortage of air-to-air missiles during daytime combat sorties, in some cases engaging Russian aerial targets with the aircraft's 20mm cannon, the commander of Ukraine's 107th Air Wing has warned. The shortfall affects AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles that are also used by NASAMS air defense systems protecting Kyiv.
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Trump claims US has "virtually unlimited" ammunition, says Europe will be asked to repay aid to Ukraine and NATO
On 3 September, US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social claiming the United States has practically unlimited medium- and high-class ammunition stockpiles and is producing at record volumes. He said the US is currently keeping munitions for itself but will resume sales to allies soon, accused the Biden administration of having given Ukraine more ammunition than the US used in Iran, and said the US will demand reimbursement from Europe for hundreds of billions of dollars previously provided free of charge to Ukraine and NATO. The post also attacked media coverage of US ammunition shortages during the Iran war.
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Ukraine asks EU to finance Patriot missiles from €90 billion loan; von der Leyen confirms review
Ukraine has formally requested that the European Commission finance the purchase of US-made PAC-3 interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems from the EU's €90 billion support loan. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed receipt of the request on 2 September ahead of a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels, saying EU member states are reviewing it and that the process is "moving in the right direction." Because PAC-3 missiles are produced outside the EU and Ukraine, the purchase requires a special exemption from the loan's "buy European" rule, with the final decision resting with EU member states.