The Division of Protection (DOD) has halted the supply of some air protection missiles and munitions to Ukraine attributable to considerations about U.S. navy stockpiles being depleted.
“The Division of Protection continues to offer the President with sturdy choices to proceed navy support to Ukraine, constant along with his objective of bringing this tragic conflict to an finish. On the similar time, the Division is rigorously analyzing and adapting its method to attaining this goal whereas additionally preserving U.S. forces’ readiness for Administration protection priorities,” the Pentagon’s undersecretary for coverage Elbridge Colby advised The Hill’s sister community NewsNation on Tuesday.
“Division of Protection management works as a cohesive and smoothly-running group beneath the management of Secretary of Protection Hegseth,” Colby added. “That is one more try to painting division that doesn’t exist.”
The White Home confirmed the choice, saying it was made after a overview of the U.S. navy’s backing of different nations around the globe.
“This determination was made to place America’s pursuits first following a overview of our nation’s navy help and help to different nations throughout the globe,” White Home spokesperson Anna Kelly mentioned in a press release to a number of outlets.
“The energy of the US Armed Forces stays unquestioned — simply ask Iran,” Kelly added, referring to the U.S. navy’s bombing of Iran’s three very important nuclear websites on June 21.
The U.S. has given tens of billions of {dollars} in navy support to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the Jap European nation in February 2022.
Trump, who has lengthy pushed to carry an finish to the three-year Russia-Ukraine conflict, indicated final week on the NATO summit in The Hague of being open to sending missiles for Ukraine’s Patriot air protection programs.
“They [Ukraine] do need to have the anti-missile missiles. As they name them the Patriots, and we’re going to see if we will make some accessible,” Trump mentioned.
In early March, the Trump administration paused navy support to Ukraine following a tense Oval Office meeting between the president and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Intelligence sharing was additionally briefly paused, however each have been resumed per week later.
The most recent pause in weapons transfers consists of 155 mm Howitzer munitions, Patriot interceptors, Stinger surface-to-air missiles, grenade launchers, over 100 Hellfire missiles, NBC Information reported on Tuesday, citing six sources.
Politico first reported on the pause.
On Sunday, Russia launched a large aerial assault, attacking Ukraine with 477 drones and greater than 60 missiles, according to Ukraine’s Air Drive.