The U.S. is halting some shipments of air defense missiles and other munitions to Ukraine amid concerns that its own stockpiles of such supplies have declined too much, officials said Tuesday.
The munitions were previously promised to Ukraine for use during its ongoing war with Russia under the Biden administration. But the pause reflects a new set of priorities under President Donald Trump.
“This 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,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement. “The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned — just ask Iran.”
The Pentagon review determined that stocks were too low on some items previously pledged, so pending shipments of some items won’t be sent, according to a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide information that has not yet been made public.
To date, the U.S. has provided Ukraine more than $66 billion worth of weapons and military assistance since Russia invaded in February 2022.
