U.S. Pauses Some Weapons Shipments to Ukraine as Stockpile Concerns Grow

The United States has paused certain weapons deliveries to Ukraine, the White House confirmed on Tuesday, as concerns grow over the strength of U.S. military stockpiles amid Russia’s ongoing war.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said the decision was made after a Department of Defense review and was meant to “put America’s interests first.” Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the U.S. has provided tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Kyiv. However, officials have recently raised concerns that continued support could weaken America’s defense readiness.

Although no specific systems were listed, reports from Reuters and CBS News suggest that air defense missiles and precision-guided weapons are among the shipments now on hold.

“The Department continues to provide strong options to help Ukraine,” said Elbridge Colby, U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy. “At the same time, we must make sure U.S. forces stay ready for any situation. Our military strength remains clear, just ask Iran,” he added, referring to recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian sites.

This development follows a meeting last week between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit in the Netherlands. While the two leaders have had disagreements in the past, Trump described the meeting as positive. When asked about sending more Patriot missile systems, Trump responded, “We’re going to see if we can make some of them available.”

Earlier this year, Trump paused military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, but both were later resumed. In April, the U.S. and Ukraine signed an agreement granting U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources in exchange for continued military support.

The pause in shipments comes at a critical time. Over the weekend, Russia launched one of its largest air attacks since the start of the war, using more than 500 drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles across Ukraine. In response, Ukraine struck a Russian weapons factory in Izhevsk, over 1,000 kilometers from the border, killing at least three people.

Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea.

Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on the U.S. decision. However, the pause is expected to raise new discussions among NATO members about future military aid and how best to support Ukraine moving forward.