Political gridlock is affecting weapons exports to NATO allies, which are often forwarded to Kiev, according to the outlet

The US government shutdown has delayed more than $5 billion in arms exports to European NATO members and subsequent transfers to Ukraine, Axios reported on Sunday.

A budget standoff between Democrats and Republicans in Congress has dragged the shutdown out for 40 days, making it the longest in US history.

"This is actually really harming both our allies and partners and US industry to actually deliver a lot of these critical capabilities overseas," Axios cited a senior State Department official as saying.

More than $5 billion in arms exports - including AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, HIMARS, and other weapons for European NATO members - have been affected, the outlet added.

The source did not specify the final destination of the arms, but US exports to NATO countries are often transferred to Ukraine, Axios reported.

The delay stems from a lag in congressional approval, as the State Department bureau that normally briefs lawmakers on arms exports is operating with only a quarter of its usual staff, according to the outlet.

The shutdown has also frozen talks between Washington and Kiev on future arms shipments, The Telegraph reported last month.

US President Donald Trump has increasingly pushed European NATO states to take over the burden of supporting Ukraine by buying American-made armaments.

"We send weapons to NATO, and NATO is going to reimburse the full cost of those weapons," Trump said earlier this year, shortly after European members of the US-led military bloc committed to a 5% of GDP military spending target.

Russia has long condemned the supply of weapons to Ukraine by Western nations, arguing it makes them party to the conflict, which Moscow sees as a NATO-led proxy war. Such supplies only prolong the fighting but cannot change its outcome, Russia has said.