The White House has paused shipments of key air defense missiles and precision weapons to Ukraine over concerns that American stockpiles have fallen dangerously low, just as Ukraine faces one of the fiercest waves of Russian airstrikes since the war began.
The decision follows a Pentagon review of US weapons reserves, which revealed critical shortages in air defense missiles, guided bombs, and artillery shells, Politico reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The Pentagon has not commented publicly, but the White House confirmed the pause after reports surfaced.
“This decision was made to put America’s national security first, following a Defense Department review of global military assistance,” said White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly in a statement, following the publication of Politico’s story. “The strength of the US military remains unquestioned – just ask Iran.”
Missiles for Patriot air defense systems, precision artillery rounds, Hellfire missiles, and other munitions Ukraine uses to repel Russian attacks are among those being withheld.
According to NBC News sources, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed the order delaying shipments. That move came weeks after he issued an internal memo directing a full review of US ammunition stockpiles. Deliveries of weapons and other military aid may be postponed until that review is completed.
The halt in supplies, initially decided in early June, is now taking effect – as Ukraine continues to defend itself from record-breaking Russian drone and missile assaults.
Over the weekend, Russia launched nearly 500 drones, decoys, and missiles at Ukraine in its largest aerial attack to date. Ukrainian forces shot down around half, officials said.
This is not the first time the Trump administration has paused military aid to Ukraine. In March, the US temporarily suspended weapons and intelligence support.
At the time, President Trump justified the move by saying he wanted to push for an end to the war, claiming the US had already spent $350 billion supporting Ukraine compared to Europe’s $100 billion.
That suspension was partially lifted after talks between US and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia on March 11.
During those talks, both sides agreed to resume military aid and intelligence sharing. In exchange, Ukraine accepted a US proposal to implement an immediate 30-day ceasefire, with the option to extend it if Russia agreed and honored the terms.
The current pause is adding new uncertainty, with no clear timeline for when delayed weapons might reach Ukrainian forces.
President Trump, after meeting Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at last week’s NATO summit in the Netherlands, suggested more aid could still come.
“They want the anti-missile missiles, as they call them,” Trump said at a press conference. “We’re going to see if we can make some available. But they’re very hard to get.”
Analysts warn the delay could have serious battlefield consequences.
“Air defense won’t win you a war — but without it, you can lose one quickly,” Tom Karako, a missile defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Politico.
The pause has sparked comparisons to the Trump administration’s 2019 freeze of $214 million in military aid to Ukraine – a move later ruled illegal by the Government Accountability Office.
Inside the Pentagon, officials say concerns over US ammunition use in other conflicts, including Yemen, have fueled pressure to slow the flow of weapons to Ukraine. Some of those stockpiles may now be redirected to US forces or allies like Israel.
For now, Ukrainian troops face mounting Russian attacks with fewer Western defenses arriving on the frontlines.