US halts arms shipments to Ukraine over stockpile concerns

The United States government has temporarily paused certain arms deliveries to Ukraine, the White House confirmed on Tuesday, citing growing worries over depleting American military stockpiles as Russia steps up its offensive against Ukrainian territories.

Speaking on the development, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly explained that the move followed a Department of Defense review of military aid to foreign nations and was taken “to put America’s interests first.”

While the statement did not detail the specific weapons involved, reports suggest that air defence missiles and precision-guided munitions are among the affected supplies.

This development comes as President Donald Trump’s administration voices increasing concern that sustained arms support to Ukraine might weaken the readiness of US forces. An official speaking to CBS News confirmed that the suspension was largely driven by fears of the country’s stockpiles running critically low.

“The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned — just ask Iran,” Kelly remarked, alluding to recent US military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

The decision follows President Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky during last week’s NATO summit in the Netherlands. Although both leaders appeared to have patched up differences, old tensions remain fresh. Trump later commented, “We had a little rough sometimes, but he couldn’t have been nicer,” referencing a past Oval Office disagreement in March that led to a temporary freeze in aid and intelligence sharing — restrictions that were later lifted.

Responding to questions from the BBC regarding additional Patriot air defence systems for Ukraine, Trump said, “We are going to see if we can make some of them available.”

Meanwhile, US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, Elbridge Colby, said the Pentagon continues to propose “robust options” to assist Ukraine but admitted that they are “rigorously examining and adapting” their approach. “We aim to balance support for Ukraine with the readiness of our own forces and broader defense priorities,” he added.

This aid halt also comes at a critical moment as Russia launches one of its largest aerial bombardments since the war began in February 2022, reportedly deploying over 500 drones, cruise, and ballistic missiles on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure in a single weekend. Ukrainian forces retaliated on Tuesday with a drone strike on a factory in Izhevsk, deep within Russian territory, killing three people, according to Russian officials.

Elsewhere, diplomatic talks remain fragile. French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian leader Vladimir Putin held their first phone conversation in over two years, with Macron reportedly calling for a ceasefire while Putin blamed the West for destabilising Ukraine and ignoring Russia’s security demands.

Since the invasion began, the US has committed over $75 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including advanced weaponry, training, and intelligence. However, this latest halt signals growing unease within Washington’s corridors of power about the long-term viability of such support, especially as Trump’s “America First” policy reshapes America’s foreign military commitments.