Former US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that delays in deliveries of long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine in 2022–2023 were caused not by fears of escalation of the conflict to the level of a global war, but by an acute shortage of these munitions in the US arsenal. In an interview published on April 16, 2025, Sullivan explained that the Pentagon and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin informed President Joe Biden about the shortage of missiles needed to meet their own strategic needs. At that time, military experts did not recommend transferring ATACMS to another country so as not to undermine the US defense capability. The situation changed by 2024, when the American industry increased production, allowing supplies to Kyiv to begin. In addition, Washington revised its approach to risks: if in 2022 the White House acted with maximum caution, then two years later the readiness for a potential escalation has increased significantly.

Sullivan’s statement sheds light on the inner workings of the Biden administration, where the debate over military aid to Ukraine has been accompanied by a difficult balance between supporting an ally and preserving its own resources. ATACMS, tactical ballistic missiles with a range of up to 300 km, have become an important tool for Kyiv to hit distant targets. But their delivery has been delayed for a long time, which has led to criticism from Ukrainian authorities and some American politicians.

According to Reuters, the United States began delivering ATACMS to Ukraine in October 2023, handing over a limited number of missiles with a range of 165 km. In April 2024, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, Kyiv received longer-range versions (up to 300 km) as part of a $60,64 billion aid package approved by Congress. These deliveries, according to the Associated Press, did not solve the key problem of the Ukrainian Armed Forces - a shortage of personnel, but allowed for increased strikes on rear facilities.