By Matthew Lee and Will Weisser
Washington (AP) According to officials on Tuesday, the United States is stopping some arms shipments to Ukraine because of worries that its own arsenals have drastically decreased.
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Under the Biden administration, Ukraine had previously been promised the weaponry to be used in its continuing fight with Russia. However, President Donald Trump’s new priorities are reflected in the halt.
“After a (Defense Department) review of our nation’s military support and assistance to other countries across the globe, this decision was made to put America’s interests first,” said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly in a statement. Ask Iran to prove that the US military is still unquestionably strong.
Trump recently ordered U.S. missile strikes against nuclear targets in Iran, which was the subject of that reference.
According to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to reveal information not yet made public, the Pentagon evaluation found that supplies were too low on some previously pledged items, therefore pending shipments of those items won’t be shipped.
Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, the United States has given Ukraine more than $66 billion in military aid and equipment.
The United States has consistently demanded that allies give Ukraine air defense equipment throughout the conflict. However, many are hesitant to relinquish the advanced systems, especially Eastern European nations that also perceive Russia as a threat.
The suspension of some weapons follows Russia’s largest combined aerial assault against Ukraine over the weekend, according to Ukrainian officials. The bombing campaign has further shattered prospects for a breakthrough in Trump’s favored peace efforts.
Politico was the first to report on the U.S. suspension.
During his meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week on the margins of the NATO summit, Trump acknowledged that the Ukrainian cause would benefit from the transfer of more American-made Patriot air defense missile systems to Kyiv.
Trump stated at the time that they do want the Patriots, as they are known, to have antimissile missiles. Additionally, we will try to make some available. We also require them. They are 100% effective, and we are supplying them to Israel. How effective is hard to believe. That is what they desire above anything else.
These remarks reveal a shift in the administration’s perspective on arming Ukraine in recent months.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated in his opening remarks at a Senate defense appropriations subcommittee hearing in June that he had acted swiftly to halt inefficient programs and reallocate funds to Trump’s top priorities.
Even though Moscow is the aggressor in the crisis, Hegseth claimed that a negotiated peace between Russia and Ukraine—which Trump has been pushing for months—makes America appear powerful. He added that the budget makes difficult decisions and acknowledges the fact that Europe must do more to defend its own continent. And the credit for that should go to President Trump.
During that testimony, the defense secretary stated that there are still plans for some U.S. security spending for Ukraine, but she gave no specifics. Hegseth also admitted to cutting back on money for Ukraine’s military aid, which has been strong for the previous two years.
According to Hegseth, this administration views that conflict very differently. We think that both parties and the interests of our country are best served by a peaceful, negotiated resolution.
Hegseth did not attend a meeting last month of an international committee that the United States established three years ago to coordinate military assistance to Ukraine. The group was founded by Hegseth’s predecessor, Lloyd Austin, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Hegseth’s absence marked the first time the US defense secretary did not participate.
Austin led the United States as the group’s chair, and he and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff participated in monthly sessions via video and in person. Prior to leaving the group entirely, Hegseth had relinquished his position as leader of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, handing it over to Germany and the United Kingdom.
