The Pentagon announced that it will pause shipments of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine after the Biden administration has emptied United States arsenals
At a press conference following a NATO meeting in The Hague, President Donald Trump acknowledged that Ukraine "wants the anti-missile missiles" and that his administration "will see if it can make some available." However, he added that those systems are also needed for the United States' own defensive needs and for Israel.
United States Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, has ordered a pause in the shipment of missiles and ammunition to Ukraine, a decision that has caused anticipation in both military and diplomatic circles.
The measure was taken after a review of the country's armament reserve levels, affected by years of unjustified military aid to Ukraine and simultaneous operations in the Middle East, where the United States has fought Houthi rebels in Yemen and supported Israel against Iran.
According to Department of Defense officials, two members of Congress, and other sources with direct knowledge of the matter, the shipments will remain suspended until the military inventory assessment is completed, and they could be delayed even further if it is determined that the munitions are needed for other strategic areas of the world.
The affected weapons systems include:
Many of these shipments were approved under the initiatives of the Democratic government Joe Biden, including the Presidential Drawdown Authority and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Some were already in the region, but were halted before being officially transferred to Ukraine, according to some sources.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly defended the decision, stating that it was made to prioritize United States interests, and emphasized that "the strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestionable, just ask Iran."
The delay comes at a critical moment for Ukraine, which has been under a new wave of Russian airstrikes, including what was described by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense as the largest air offensive since the start of the invasion in 2022, with 60 missiles and 477 drones launched in a single weekend.
During a visit to Washington on June 5, the chief adviser to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenski, Andriy Yermak, warned that Ukraine urgently needs more air defense systems to protect its cities.
The Trump administration has not yet announced a new military aid policy for Ukraine, although it has continued with shipments previously approved by the Biden administration.
Previous aid was also briefly suspended in February and then for a longer period in March, which has increased concern in Kyiv about the continuity of United States support.
