Pentagon Stops Some Weapons Shipments to Ukraine

July 4—The U.S. Defense Department has stopped shipments of some munitions promised to Ukraine by the Biden Administration over concerns that Pentagon stocks are running low. Politico reported July 1 that the decision was driven by Elbridge Colby, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, and was made after a review of Pentagon munitions stockpiles, leading to concerns that the total number of artillery rounds, air defense missiles and precision munitions was sinking, according to three people familiar with the issue. The initial decision to withhold some aid promised during the Biden administration came in early June, according to Politico’s sources, but is only taking effect now.

It is expected that this will be a major subject of call scheduled for today between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But other sources say the President is considering a suspension of all aid to Ukraine during a potential ceasefire in the war, to satisfy a demand from Russian President Vladimir Putin to prevent Ukraine from resupplying its forward positions during a halt in the war.

Colby said officials continue “to provide the President with robust options to continue military aid to Ukraine, consistent with his goal of bringing this tragic war to an end.”

“At the same time, the department is rigorously examining and adapting its approach to achieving this objective while also preserving U.S. forces’ readiness for Administration defense priorities,” Colby said in a statement, reported AP. Sources report that Colby is considered to be both anti-NATO and opposed to continued support for NATO's losing war against Russia in the Ukraine.

Included among the items being pulled back are missiles for Patriot air defense systems, precision artillery rounds, Hellfire and other missiles that Ukraine launches from its F-16 fighters and drones.

In Kiev, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after calling in U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to Ukraine John Ginkel, reported that the Ukrainian side had not received any messages from the United States about the suspension of the agreed defense assistance and requested a telephone conversation with the U.S. side in connection with information about the delay in the delivery of certain elements of previously allocated defense assistance packages from the United States, reported Interfax Ukraine.