The Pentagon stopped a weapons delivery to Ukraine during its conflict with Russia, pointing to low stockpiles of specific munitions in the Defense Department arsenal.
The halted delivery included critical air defense missiles that Ukraine has lobbied the United States for to protect against Russian aerial warfare.
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“This decision was made to put America’s interests first following a (Defense Department) review of our nation’s military support and assistance to other countries across the globe,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement. “The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned — just ask Iran.”
The Pentagon determined the stocks of certain weapons were low and chose not to send those items.
“America’s military has never been more ready and more capable thanks to President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s leadership,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told the Washington Examiner. “Our service members are fully equipped to deter against any threat, and the Senate’s recent passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill ensures that our weapons and defense systems are modernized to protect against 21st-century threats for generations to come.”
The U.S. has provided billions of dollars to Ukraine against Russia, but the Trump administration has been less amenable to sending the country funds or munitions than the Biden administration. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has acknowledged that funding for Ukraine will be reduced.
“This administration takes a very different view of that conflict,” Hegseth said. “We believe that a negotiated peaceful settlement is in the best interest of both parties and our nation’s interests.”
He added that the Defense Department budget “reflects the reality that Europe needs to step up more for the defense of its own continent. And President Trump deserves the credit for that.”
President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in June at the NATO summit, leaving the possibility of sending more anti-air defense systems open.
“They do want to have the antimissile missiles, OK, as they call them, the Patriots,” Trump said then. “And we’re going to see if we can make some available. We need them too. We’re supplying them to Israel, and they’re very effective, 100% effective. Hard to believe how effective. They do want that more than any other thing.”
The halting of the recent weapons shipment comes days after Russia launched its largest aerial attack since the start of the war. Of the 537 aerial weapons launched in Ukraine, it managed to shoot down 249 and disrupt 226, likely by electronic jamming.
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That left dozens of weapons that escaped Ukrainian defenses, and several people were killed as a result of the attack. Fewer air defense weapons for Ukraine could make it difficult for the country to continue its defense against Russia if the air war escalates further.
It’s unclear if further weapons shipments to Ukraine will also be affected.