Pete Hegseth, the United States defence secretary, has reportedly halted a crucial shipment of military aid to Ukraine, citing unsubstantiated fears that America’s weapons stockpiles have become dangerously depleted.
The aid package, which included air defence missiles and precision munitions, had been pledged during Joe Biden’s presidency to support Ukraine’s resistance against Russia’s full-scale invasion, launched in 2022. The Pentagon’s sudden reversal, however, has sparked widespread concern and confusion among US allies and members of Congress.
According to a report by NBC, the decision to suspend the shipment was made unilaterally by Hegseth, a former Fox News weekend host and a close ally of President Donald Trump. Hegseth has previously faced scrutiny for reportedly leaking details of a planned military strike in private Signal group chats, one of which inadvertently included a journalist.
Hegseth intervened to halt aid to Ukraine for third time
This marks the third time Hegseth has intervened to halt aid to Ukraine, with the latest action justified by his claim that the US must prioritise its defence readiness. President Trump backed the move during a press briefing last Thursday, saying: “Biden emptied our whole country, giving them weapons, and we have to make sure we have enough for ourselves.”
The White House echoed this sentiment, with a spokesperson saying the suspension was part of a wider Department of Defence review to ensure American interests are placed first. “The strength of the United States armed forces remains unquestioned, just ask Iran,” the spokesperson added.
Defence Department representative Sean Parnell described the review as a “commonsense, pragmatic step” to ensure that all aid decisions align with US military priorities. Despite the justification, Parnell appeared to contradict Hegseth’s rationale by stating: “Our military has everything that it needs to conduct any mission, anywhere, anytime, all around the world.”
The announcement came as a shock to members of Congress and Ukraine’s European allies. Democratic lawmakers have insisted that there is no evidence of depleted US stockpiles. Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said his team had reviewed the figures. “We are not at any lower point, stockpile-wise than we’ve been in the three-and-a-half years of the Ukraine conflict,” he told NBC. “There’s no justification for this pause.”
Among the delayed weapons are dozens of Patriot interceptor missiles, crucial for defending Ukrainian cities from escalating Russian missile and drone assaults, as well as howitzers and other missile systems.
The delay comes at a perilous moment for Ukraine, which is facing a renewed wave of Russian bombardments. “This decision is certainly very unpleasant for us,” said Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of Ukraine’s parliamentary defence committee, speaking to Reuters. “It’s painful, and against the background of the terrorist attacks which Russia commits against Ukraine.”
The US Department of Defence has yet to respond to multiple requests for comment.
As Ukraine continues to fend off increasingly deadly attacks from Russian forces, the aid delay has raised serious questions about the Trump administration’s commitment to supporting Kyiv and about the influence of partisan politics on global security decisions.
