Media disclose who in the US stopped arms supplies to Ukraine

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth personally halted the transfer of military aid to Ukraine, citing the risk of depleting US arsenals. However, there were no grounds for such restrictions.

NBC News reported this, citing sources among US officials.

Suspension of US aid to Ukraine

According to three sources familiar with the matter, Pete Hegseth made the decision without consulting the State Department, Congress, or international partners, including Kyiv. The move surprised both US lawmakers and NATO allies.

Despite the fears of the Pentagon chief, an internal audit conducted by the Joint Staff found no threat to US defense capabilities. Military analysts concluded that the current level of assistance to Ukraine would not result in a significant reduction of strategic stockpiles, including precision munitions.

Notably, this is the third time Hegseth has unilaterally frozen military supplies. On the two previous occasions, in February and May, his orders were canceled within days.

The reaction of politicians in Washington

Some US congressmen, particularly Democrat Adam Smith, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, have criticized the Secretary's actions. Smith stated that "the stockpile is no worse than at any other stage of a long war" and that there is no justification for cutting off aid to Ukraine.

Smith noted that his team reviewed internal data on weapons stockpiles and found no basis for such restrictions. Other lawmakers are checking whether Hegseth's actions contradict legislation obligating to provide Kyiv with security assistance.

The White House's position

Hegseth's Deputy Assistant, Elbridge Colby, publicly supported the secretary's decision.

The White House considers the Defense Secretary's decision to be part of a larger review of military assistance to allies that has been underway since June. As part of this process, Pete Hegseth ordered the Joint Staff to review stockpile levels of all types of ammunition.

According to three officials, while some types of precision munitions are approaching the lower limit, they are not yet critically depleted. The Joint Staff saw no risk to US defense capabilities overall in the event of further assistance to Ukraine.

Nevertheless, Pete Hegseth is acting on his own and has stopped the supply for the third time, disregarding internal assessments and political consequences. His US European partners are trying to determine the reasons for this decision and are working to resume assistance to Ukraine.

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