The United States has not stopped supplying all weapons to Ukraine, and the U.S. Department of Defense has many other reliable options for supporting the country.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said this at a press briefing on July 2, according to Ukrinform.
When asked whether the pause in arms deliveries to Ukraine complicates efforts to bring Russia to the negotiating table for a peace agreement or ceasefire, since it may ease pressure on them, Bruce said: “It’s not going to be a factor because we haven’t paused sending weapons to Ukraine. This is one aspect, one situation, one event that has been changed. As you heard from the Department of Defense, there are multiple robust other options and efforts regarding the Ukrainian situation with weapons. Again, I don’t speak for the Department of Defense. I can only refer to their statement and to what they’ve stated very bluntly.”
She added that President Donald Trump had “indicated his remaining commitment regarding Patriot missiles.”
“This is not – I will reinforce this – this is not a cessation of us assisting Ukraine or of providing weapons. This is one event in one situation, and we’ll discuss what else comes up in the future. But be wary of painting too broad a brush there,” Bruce added.
According to her, the U.S. has been “Ukraine’s biggest supporter – emotionally, militarily, financially.” She said that “our commitment hasn’t changed,” and the way the U.S. fulfills that commitment “is going to be based on what is best for America First.”
“It is certainly two nations at war, and America has made a huge difference in that regard and the President still has worked to have people at the table, that this can only be solved diplomatically – that, of course, is the State Department’s wheelhouse – and that that’s what he wants,” she added.
Bruce stated that the U.S. continues to work on providing aid to Ukraine.
“The DOD statement made clear that they have robust options as we continue to work to assist Ukraine when it comes to the options that they might have. That’s from the DOD. And I don’t doubt that. So we should, I think, be cautious about judging the nature of what has just occurred considering our commitment that remains for the country of Ukraine,” she said.
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.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine and the U.S. were working at the operational level to clarify all details regarding the delivery of defense support, particularly air defense components.
Source: US has not fully halted arms deliveries to Ukraine – State Department
