Pentagon halts weapons shipment to Ukraine amid concerns over U.S. stockpile

Defense secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a break in sending an expedition of missiles and ammunition to Ukraine, with regard to stocks of the US military, according to two defense officials, two Congress officials and two sources knowing the decision.

Hegseth has ordered the delay in weeks after publishing a service note, ordering an American stock examination exam, which has been exhausted after years that the United States sends weapons to Ukraine to defend itself against the invasion of Russia, as well as nearly two years of military exploitation in the Middle East as well as the United States fought the holly that has been subjected to reflections.

Munitions and other weapons could be maintained until the evaluation is completed, said the two defense officials and the two Congress officials, and if the ammunition is rare or necessary in other parts of the world, they could be retained even longer.

Delayed weapons include dozens of patriotic interceptors who can defend themselves against incoming Russian missiles, thousands of 155 mm explosive belly ammunition, more than 100 Hellfire missiles, more than 250 precision missile systems, air missiles and air missiles and pomegranates, two aerial missiles and two air missiles decision indicated.

The White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: “This decision was made to put the interests of America first following a DOD examination of military support and the assistance of our country to other countries around the world. The strength of the American armed forces remains indisputable – it is enough to ask Iran.” The Defense Ministry did not respond to a comment request.

At a closing press conference after a NATO meeting in Hague last week, President Donald Trump said the United States tried to find Air Defense Missiles Patriot to send to Ukraine.

“They want to have anti-missile missiles,” said Trump about Ukraine. “As they call them the patriots, and we will see if we can make them available.” He said that the United States provides weapons to Israel and that “you know, they are very difficult to obtain. We also need it.”

Ukraine has called on several occasions for additional American and European air defense weapons on several occasions while Russia has intensified its air raids in recent months. During the weekend, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine said that Russia had launched the largest air attack on the country since Moscow’s large-scale invasion in 2022, pulling 60 missiles and 477 drones.

Trump and his Republican allies in Congress also endeavor to guarantee a permanent ceasefire. Although it is common for new administrations to suspend weapons transfers to assess stocks, there are concerns concerning the moment when this happens, according to an official who knows the situation. The official said that Ukraine must seem strong to bring Russia to the negotiating table.

During a visit to Washington on June 5, the best adviser to the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Andriy Yermak, told journalists that his country held the Russian forces but needed more air defense systems to protect its cities from Russian attacks.

The ammunition was approved as part of the presidential authority of Drawdown and the packages of the Ukraine security assistance initiative during the Biden administration, defense officials and two sources knowing the decision. Some expeditions are already in the region but have been arrested before being returned to Ukraine, according to a defense official and two sources knowing the decision.

Last month, the acting chief of naval operations, the administrator James Kilby, warned during the testimony to the congress that, although the navy has enough standard missiles, known as SM-3, the United States used missiles and ammunition “at an alarming rate”.