The Pentagon has abruptly frozen shipments of certain high-precision weapons to Ukraine, including missiles for Patriot air defense systems, artillery shells, and Hellfire missiles used by Ukrainian F-16 fighters and drones. According to Politico sources, the decision was initiated by Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s chief policy adviser, and resulted from a comprehensive review of U.S. military stockpiles.
Politico reports that the freeze stems from growing concern over the shortage of key munitions — primarily air defense missiles and artillery shells — which Pentagon analysts believe have reached critically low levels. The halt affects military aid promised to Ukraine under President Joe Biden’s administration, but the measures are only now being implemented, just as Russia ramps up its massive strikes on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv.
Sources told the outlet that the decision has alarmed Ukraine’s allies in Congress. “American air defense systems, especially the Patriot batteries, are the backbone of Ukraine’s defense. They work. They save lives every single day,” emphasized Rep. Marcy Kaptur, co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus and a Democrat from Ohio. “If Politico’s report proves accurate, then Mr. Colby is making decisions that will inevitably lead to the deaths of many Ukrainian soldiers and civilians.”
Air Defenses Under Fire Amid the Largest Attacks Since the War Began
According to Ukrainian sources, this past weekend saw Russia launch the largest aerial assault in the three-year-long war, firing 477 drones and decoys, along with 60 missiles. Of these, 249 were destroyed, and another 226 were reportedly neutralized through electronic warfare. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to hold back new Russian offensives, and every air defense unit is desperately needed.
However, officials speaking on condition of anonymity noted that since February, the Pentagon has begun categorizing ammunition types by their criticality, particularly in light of excessive air defense usage in Yemen. By spring, an internal memo was drafted for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, recommending the suspension of shipments of the most scarce munitions. Yet according to one source, “the memo sat untouched on the Secretary’s desk for months,” amid a period of internal personnel reshuffling.
Politico also reports that Pentagon officials even drew up plans to redirect munitions — including artillery, tank shells, and air defense systems — back to the U.S. or to Israel.
White House: “In America’s National Interest”
Following the article’s publication, the White House issued an official statement. Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly stated: “This decision was made in the interest of the United States after a review by the Department of Defense of the entire architecture of military assistance to foreign nations. The strength of the U.S. Armed Forces remains beyond doubt — just ask Iran.”
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, who met with Volodymyr Zelensky during the NATO summit in the Netherlands, expressed sympathy for the Ukrainian side and did not rule out the possibility of sending more air defense systems, despite the Pentagon’s actions. “They really want anti-missile missiles, as they call them — and we’ll see if we can provide something,” Trump said at a press conference in The Hague. “They are very hard to obtain.”
Funding Running Out, No New Requests Filed
The restrictions affect two key channels of military aid to Ukraine established under Biden. The first involves direct drawdowns from current U.S. military stockpiles, later replenished through the defense budget. The second is the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which allows the U.S. to contract American defense firms to produce weapons for Ukraine.
Funds for both mechanisms were fully allocated before Biden’s term ended, and, according to one official, the remaining resources will only last a few more months. However, the Trump administration has not submitted new funding requests for Ukraine — even as the last of the previously approved $61 billion is being spent, some of which is also allocated for Israel.
Politico’s sources also note that if the freeze on arms shipments was implemented without updated budget notifications to Congress and solely based on internal Pentagon policy reviews, it may constitute a legal violation. A similar situation occurred during Trump’s first term in 2019, when the administration withheld $214 million in aid to Ukraine. At that time, the U.S. Government Accountability Office ruled that the freeze violated the Impoundment Control Act, stating that political disagreements are not a lawful reason to block allocated funds.
Experts Warn: “Lack of Air Defenses Could Lead to Defeat”
Military analyst Tom Karako of the Center for Strategic and International Studies emphasized: “Air defense alone won’t win the war. But without it, you can lose the war very quickly.” He noted that the U.S. military has quietly quadrupled its orders for Patriot MSE interceptors. However, even with funding, he said, ramping up production takes time: “You can’t just push a button.”
This article was prepared based on materials published by Politico. The author does not claim authorship of the original text but presents their interpretation of the content for informational purposes.
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