By Jacob Burg
The Pentagon announced on July 2 that it was pausing some shipments of weapons to Ukraine again, following more than three years of deliveries while Kyiv defended itself against a Russian invasion.
During a Wednesday press briefing, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the Department of Defense was conducting a “capability review” to ensure U.S. military aid “aligns with our defense priorities.”
“We will not be providing any updates to specific quantities or types of munitions being provided to Ukraine or the timelines associated with these transfers but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will continue to make recommendations to the president for his decision on military assistance to Ukraine,” he said.
Parnell called it a “common-sense, pragmatic step” towards establishing a framework for evaluating what weapons shipments are sent and where.
“We want to be very clear about this last point. Let it be known that our military has everything that it needs to conduct any mission, anywhere, anytime, all around the world,” he added.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the United States needed to maintain its stockpiles but told Fox News that, “in the short term, Ukraine cannot do without all the support it can get” with air defense artillery and ammunition.
Parnell said that during the Biden administration, the United States was giving “away weapons and munitions without really thinking about how many we have.”
He said that President Donald Trump was elected on putting the country first and that with a national defense strategy shift to the Indo-Pacific, “our job is to give the President a framework that he can use to evaluate how many munitions we have and where we’re sending them.”
“That review process is happening, is happening right now, and it’s ongoing,” Parnell added.
In an email statement, deputy White House press secretary Anna Kelly told The Epoch Times that the decision was made to put the country’s interests first following a Defense Department “review of our nation’s military support and assistance to other countries across the globe.”
“The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned—just ask Iran,” she added.
Ukraine said on Wednesday that the decision could hinder its ability to defend against increasing Russian airstrikes and ground attacks.
The war-torn nation said it was calling the acting U.S. envoy to Kyiv to emphasize the importance of continued U.S. military aid, and warned that any halt in weapons shipments could bolster Russia in its war with Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian side emphasised that any delay or procrastination in supporting Ukraine’s defence capabilities will only encourage the aggressor to continue the war and terror, rather than seek peace,” Ukraine’s foreign ministry said.
Previously, Washington had briefly paused weapon shipments to Ukraine in February, with a longer delay in March. The United States began sending the last of the military aid approved by the Biden administration, but new aid to Kyiv has not been announced.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Related posts:
Nearly 50 Members of Congress Call on Pentagon to End Military Vaccine Mandate
US Pledges ‘Consequences’ for China if it Provides Military Aid to Russia
US Readiness ‘At Some Risk’ as Pentagon Sends $300 Million to Ukraine: Defense Official
NORAD Shows Dramatic Video of Russian Fighter Jet Flying Close to Aircraft Off Alaska
