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:
- Dozens of Patriot interceptors, key for shooting down Russian missiles.
- Thousands of 155 mm explosive artillery shells.
- More than 100 Hellfire missiles.
- More than 250 GMLRS guided missile systems.
- Dozens of Stinger and AIM air-to-air missiles, as well as grenade launchers.
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."
