The United States has paused weapons deliveries to Ukraine over concerns about U.S. military stockpiles falling too low.
That is according to CBS News, citing a U.S. official, Ukrinform reports.
A White House official said on Wednesday the pause in shipments to Ukraine is part of a larger review that the Pentagon has been conducting of weapons shipments to all countries that receive them from the U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth began this review weeks ago at the direction of President Donald Trump. The official said the review was undertaken to ensure the Pentagon under the previous administration was “prioritizing America’s needs.”
Although the Ukraine pause is what leaked to the media, the White House official said some other countries have been “reclassified” as well, meaning, they have been de-prioritized for receiving weapons and munitions from the U.S. The White House official did not name those countries, or say how long the pause in some weapons shipments to Ukraine may last.
Elbridge Colby, Defense Department under secretary for policy, said in a separate statement on Tuesday night in response to the move that the “Department of Defense continues to provide the resident with robust options to continue military aid to Ukraine, consistent with his goal of bringing this tragic war to an end. At the same time, the department is rigorously examining and adapting its approach to achieving this objective while also preserving U.S. forces’ readiness for administration defense priorities.”
Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director-general of the Royal United Services Institute military think tank, told CBS News in March that about 20% of Ukraine’s military hardware is supplied by the U.S., with 25% provided by Europe and the rest of the world, and 55% produced in Ukraine.
Earlier, U.S. media reports said that the Pentagon had paused the delivery of ammunition and missiles to Ukraine. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly confirmed the move, saying the decision was made “to put America’s interests first following a DOD review of our nation’s military support and assistance to other countries across the globe.”
That same day, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that the United States had not halted all arms deliveries to Ukraine, and that the Department of Defense still had “multiple robust other options and efforts” to support the country.
Photo: AA
Source: CBS: Pentagon reviewing US weapons shipments to all countries, including Ukraine
