The White House has announced that the US has suspended some military shipments to Ukraine in light of the ongoing war with Russia. This decision prioritizes American interests, according to White House spokesperson Anna Kelly, following a review by the Department of Defense regarding military support for foreign nations.
Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, the US has provided Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars in military aid. However, officials in the Trump administration have raised alarms over the depletion of US military stockpiles. Details about the specific shipments being halted have not been disclosed, but sources indicate that air defense missiles and precision munitions are among the impacted supplies.
Elbridge Colby, the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, has assured that the Department of Defense is presenting robust options for continued military support to Ukraine. Colby also emphasized the need to balance military assistance with the readiness of US forces for its defense priorities.
This suspension follows a recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit in the Netherlands, where discussions about potential additional Patriot anti-missile systems took place. Despite past tensions between the two leaders, Trump noted that their recent interaction was amicable.
Previously, military aid to Ukraine faced temporary pauses, but those were ultimately reversed. A notable agreement was made in late April, allowing the US to access Ukraine's mineral reserves in exchange for military support.
The announcement comes just as Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine, employing over 500 types of weapons including drones and missiles during a substantial recent aerial assault. Tragically, the conflict continues to result in civilian casualties, underscoring the dire humanitarian situation in the region, with Russia currently controlling about 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, annexed in 2014.
