WARSAW: A prolonged conflict in the Middle East could disrupt deliveries of US-made air defence systems and other arms supplies to European countries including Ukraine, Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Tuesday.

“If it (the conflict) lasts beyond the 3-4 weeks that President Trump spoke ab­­o­ut yesterday, then certain risks arise for the supply of equipment to us, to Europe and certainly to Ukr­­aine first,” he told a press conference in Brati­slava.

He said there would be a “risk to supplies” if air def­e­­­nce missiles continued to be used at the current rate.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that so far there were no indications that the United States’ involvement in the Middle East conflict would affect the pace of the peace talks on Ukraine, but added that “time will tell” given how much attention Washing­ton was having to give the situation.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was clear that the US had more work to do in the Middle East, and that it was difficult to discuss a possible next meeting with Ukrai­nian and US delegations in Abu Dhabi.

Published in Dawn, March 4, 2026