Kyiv has issued a stark warning that any disruption in the flow of US weapons shipments could embolden Russia to persist in its ongoing war in Ukraine, which has now entered its fourth year.
On Tuesday, the White House announced that it had halted certain weapons deliveries to Ukraine.
According to White House spokesperson Anna Kelly, the decision was made to prioritise “America’s interests first” after a review by the Department of Defence regarding US “military support and assistance to other countries”.
In a recent statement, Ukraine’s foreign ministry emphasised that any hesitation or delay in bolstering Ukraine’s defence capabilities would merely embolden the aggressor to persist in its campaign of war and terror, rather than pursue a path to peace.
The statement underscored the urgent necessity for Kyiv to bolster its air defences, as Russia persistently bombards the nation with missiles and drones almost every night.
A US diplomat stationed in Kyiv attended discussions at the foreign ministry on Wednesday.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence has stated that it has not received any official communication from the United States regarding the “suspension or revision” of weapons deliveries. The ministry has called on the public to refrain from speculation based on incomplete information.
The defence ministry emphasised in a statement that achieving an end to the war requires “consistent and joint pressure on the aggressor.”
Over the weekend, Ukraine faced its most significant aerial assault since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, as over 500 drones, along with ballistic and cruise missiles, were unleashed upon its cities.
US officials have yet to specify which shipments are being suspended.
US broadcaster NBC reports that the delayed weapons may encompass Patriot interceptors, Howitzer munitions, missiles, and grenade launchers.
Since Russia initiated its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has dispatched tens of billions of dollars in military assistance to the embattled nation. This substantial support has prompted some members of the Trump administration to express worries regarding the depletion of US stockpiles.
The Kremlin expressed approval regarding the decrease in weapons shipments, asserting that diminishing the supply of arms to Kyiv could expedite the resolution of the conflict.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated to reporters that a reduction in the number of weapons delivered to Ukraine would bring the special military operation closer to its conclusion.
Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of Ukraine’s ruling party, described the decision as “painful,” emphasising that it comes in the wake of the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Russia against Ukraine, calling it “a very unpleasant situation.”
A military source from Ukraine, as reported by the AFP news agency, indicated that Kyiv is “seriously dependent on American arms supplies.” The source acknowledged that while Europe is making significant efforts, the situation remains challenging without American ammunition.
Over the past three and a half years, Ukraine’s European allies have invested billions in military assistance.
Nonetheless, the provision of military support to Kyiv does not receive unanimous backing across the political landscape.
Petr Pavel, the Czech President and former Chair of NATO’s Military Committee, has expressed unwavering support for Ukraine. However, in an interview with BBC Russian, he stated that he could “not guarantee” ongoing ammunition support for Kyiv, noting that such assistance hinges on the outcome of the forthcoming Czech elections.
“The priorities of a new government remain uncertain,” he stated.
The Pentagon’s decision stems from worries about dwindling US military stockpiles, according to US official Anna Kelly in an interview with CBS News. She emphasised, however, that “the strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned – just ask Iran.”
In a recent statement, US Undersecretary of Defence for Policy Elbridge Colby emphasised that the defence department is actively supplying the President with strong options to sustain military assistance to Ukraine.
He stated that “the Department is thoroughly reviewing and adjusting its strategy to meet this goal, all while ensuring the readiness of US forces for the Administration’s defence priorities.”
The suspension follows closely on the heels of a conversation between President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky regarding air defences, which took place at the NATO summit in the Netherlands less than a week ago.
In response to media enquiries regarding the potential provision of additional Patriot anti-missile systems to Ukraine, Trump stated that US officials “are going to see if we can make some of them available.”
In a recent statement regarding his dialogue with Zelensky, Trump remarked, “We had a little rough times sometimes, but he couldn’t have been nicer.”
In March of this year, a tense exchange unfolded in the Oval Office between the two parties involved. Following the announcement, Trump stated that he would be halting military assistance to Ukraine that the prior Biden administration had allocated. The suspension of intelligence sharing with Ukraine has been confirmed.
However, both pauses were later removed.
In late April, a significant agreement was reached between the US and Ukraine, granting the US access to Ukraine’s mineral reserves in return for military support.
On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron engaged in a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking their first dialogue in more than two and a half years.
According to Macron’s office, the two leaders engaged in a phone conversation lasting over two hours, during which the French President emphasised the need for a ceasefire in Ukraine and the initiation of discussions aimed at achieving a “solid and lasting settlement of the conflict”.
The Kremlin stated that President Putin had “reminded Macron” that the policies of the West were responsible for the ongoing conflict, asserting that they had “for many years ignored Russia’s security interests”.
In a recent forum held in St. Petersburg, Russia’s long-time leader expressed his view that Russians and Ukrainians are essentially one people, asserting that “in that sense the whole of Ukraine is ours.”
Moscow presently holds approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, which encompasses the Crimea peninsula that was annexed in 2014.
In recent months, Russia has achieved slow but steady progress in Ukraine, asserting that it has gained complete control over the eastern Luhansk region as of this week. The group has reported the acquisition of territory in the southeastern region of Dnipropetrovsk.
On Tuesday, a Ukrainian assault resulted in the deaths of three individuals at a Russian arms manufacturing facility in Izhevsk, which specialises in the production of drones and radars. This location is situated over 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
