Putin said the Ukrainian war was “difficult” Trump said at the NATO summit
President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian leader Voldymir Zelensky at the NATO summit.
WASHINGTON – The US Department of Defense is cutting aid to Ukraine as part of what they call a full-scale temporary review amid looming concerns about a lack of US stockpiles.
The suspension of weapons delivery is part of a “competent review” to “ensure that US military aid is consistent with our defense priorities.” The military “have everything it needs to carry out its mission anywhere and anywhere in the world,” he added.
Ukrainian President Voldimi Zelenki said Ukraine and the United States “have clarified all the details of defense assistance, including defense, including air defense.”
At a meeting on the same day, the Ukrainian foreign minister told John Ginkel, deputy mission director of the US Embassy in Kiev, according to a press release from Ukraine’s foreign countries: “In order to support Ukraine’s defense capabilities, invaders don’t seek peace, they simply encourage them to continue war and terrorism, rather than seeking peace.
It is unknown which weapons are suspended. Reports say the delays include dozens of Patriot missiles, more than 100 Hellfire missiles, and more than 250 missiles for a precision guided missile system called the GMLRS.
Parnell said the Department of Defense would not release information on delayed weapons and ammunition types or review timelines.
It is also unclear whether the suspension will apply to the $3.4 billion that the US sends to Israel each year to strengthen missile defense. The announcement comes days after the State Department greenlighted another $510 million ammunition support equipment on June 30, and will be handed over to Congress for approval.
As of mid-March, the US had provided $66.9 billion in military aid since Russia began its invasion in February 2022, according to the State Department. This includes three Patriot Air Defence Systems that can defeat ballistic and cruise missiles, 12 NASAMS surface-to-air missile systems, over 3,000 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and over 3 million rounds of 155mm guns.
President Donald Trump temporarily closed all military aid to Ukraine in March after a volatile meeting with Zelensky in his oval office, but resumed a few weeks later.
US support for Ukraine, Israel lowers missile stocks
The arms suspension comes as growing concerns that the US military support for Ukraine and Israel during the 12-day aviation war with Iran in June left a low level of Pentagon munitions and air defense systems.
During Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the blow traded between Israel and Iran, “another case of us having this level of consumption rate is not used to missiles and interceptors,” said John Ludwigson, director of the Contract and National Security Acquisition Team at the Government’s Accountability Bureau.
Naval Operations Chief James Kilby dad told Congress in early May that “many of our ammunition inventory is still below the overall ammunition requirements.”
Kilby’s testimony said “mumbah and spending related to the war in Ukraine, the Israeli-Hamas conflict,” and Hooty’s attacks on US ships in the Red Sea have reached up to $2.3 billion.
The Navy is also using naval interceptors that can defeat ballistic missiles at “amazing speeds,” Kilby said at a Senate budget hearing on June 24.
The US also used the Patriot Air Defence System to protect Qatar Al-Udaid Air Force Base from Iranian ballistic missiles in an attack that was launched by Iran for bombing three US nuclear facilities on June 21.
The Trump administration used more than $200 million in ammunition in the first three weeks of a two-month attack on the Hooty forces in Yemen, the New York Times reported.
Reports say Israel burned out with missile interceptors with a rapid clip, defeating projectiles launched by Iran during the 12-day war, draining stockpiles. Brandan Buck, a researcher at the Cato Institute, previously told USA Today that if the US restocks these interceptors, they will need to be pulled from other stockpiles.
