The United States has paused some of its weapons deliveries to Ukraine, the White House confirmed on Tuesday, saying the decision was made after a review by the Department of Defense.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly explained that the move was aimed at putting America’s interests first, especially as concerns grow over the country’s shrinking military stockpiles.
“The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned — just ask Iran,” Kelly added, while refusing to give details on which specific weapons were affected.
However, sources told US media that deliveries of Patriot air defence missiles, precision artillery rounds, and other advanced missile systems have been held back.
This announcement comes just days after Ukraine said it suffered its largest aerial attack since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022, involving over 500 drones and missiles. Ukraine’s government has not officially responded to the US decision.
A US official told CBS News that the pause was due to fears that continued large-scale aid could weaken America’s own defense readiness.
Meanwhile, US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, Elbridge Colby, said the Pentagon would still give President Donald Trump “robust options” to help Ukraine, but also noted that the department is reassessing its support strategy to maintain US force strength.
President Trump had met with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit in the Netherlands last week. When asked if the US would provide more Patriot missiles to Ukraine, Trump said, “We are going to see if we can make some of them available.”
Trump added that while he had once clashed with Zelensky, their recent meeting was cordial. “We had a little rough times sometimes, but he couldn’t have been nicer,” Trump said.
Earlier in March, Trump had already paused military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. Though both measures were later lifted, this new delay again raises questions about Washington’s commitment to Kyiv’s defense.
The weapons freeze also comes shortly after the US signed an agreement with Ukraine in April, allowing American access to Ukraine’s mineral resources in return for continued military assistance.
On the diplomatic front, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday for the first time in more than two years. Macron urged a ceasefire and a return to peace talks. But the Kremlin said Putin blamed the West for ignoring Russia’s security concerns for many years.
Russia continues to hold about 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, and has claimed further gains in the eastern Luhansk and southeastern Dnipropetrovsk regions.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian strike on a Russian drone and radar factory in Izhevsk, far from the frontline, killed three people, according to Russian reports.
