Ukraine left scrambling, seeking clarity after US says halting some arms shipments
Rescuers working at the site of a children's hospital that was hit by a Russian missile in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 8, 2024.
KYIV - Ukraine appealed to the United States for clarity on July 2 after it was caught off guard by a White House announcement that Washington was
halting some arms shipments to the war-battered country.
The Ukrainian defence ministry, which is deeply dependent on US arms, said it had not been notified about the reduction in aid announced one day earlier.
Moscow revelled in the decision, saying it could bring the end of the war closer. Any slowdown in US support could harm Kyiv's ability to fend off escalating Russian aerial bombardments or front-line gains.
Kyiv has long feared halts to US aid since Mr Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, having criticised the tens of billions of dollars in support and weapons sent by his predecessor, Mr Joe Biden.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an evening address that Kyiv and Washington were clarifying details on supplies.
'Continued American support for Ukraine, for our defence, for our people is in our common interest,' he said.
'It will be even more scary, even more painful, and even more civilians will suffer,' Kyiv resident Yevgenia Prysiazhna told AFP, referring to a increase in overnight drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.
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'I really hope that this is a temporary decision,' the communications manager said.
Mr John Ginkel, the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Kyiv, was summoned by the foreign ministry – a rare diplomatic move usually reserved for foes and rivals, not vital allies – given uncertainty about what the cuts would mean for Kyiv.
'Now is not the time for weak decisions,' Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha wrote on X.
'We need more interceptors and systems. We are also ready to purchase or rent them,' he added.
The White House had said that it was halting some key weapons shipments promised by the previous US administration, without elaborating.
Under Mr Biden, Washington spearheaded Western support for Ukraine, with Congress having approved more than US$100 billion (S$127 billion) in aid, including US$43 billion in weaponry.
Mr Trump instead has pushed the two sides into peace talks, including in phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin – who rejected pleas for a ceasefire and demanded that Ukraine cede more territory if it wants Moscow to halt its invasion, which was launched in 2022.
'Consistent pressure'
The US president has refused to announce new aid packages and Kyiv has been corralling Washington's European allies to step up their support.
Kyiv remains 'seriously dependent' on US arms supplies, a high-ranking source in the Ukrainian military told AFP.
'Europe is doing its best, but it will be difficult for us without American ammunition,' the source added.
A May report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said that Europe 'had only made limited progress' in strengthening its defence industries.
But it said that 'continued US aid remains extremely important for Ukraine's long-term effectiveness on the battlefield.'
In Moscow, the Kremlin said that reducing weapons deliveries to Kyiv would help end the conflict.
'The fewer the number of weapons that are delivered to Ukraine, the closer the end of the special military operation,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response to a question by AFP, using Russia's term for its more than three-year-long offensive.
The White House told AFP in an email that the decision to reduce shipments was taken following a 'review of our nation's military support and assistance to other countries'.
Kyiv said that it was caught off-guard by the move. The defence ministry said that the country had 'not received any official notifications' on the issue.
Escalating drone attacks
Politico and other US media reported that missiles for Patriot air defence systems, precision artillery and Hellfire missiles are among the items being held back.
Russia ramped up attacks on Ukraine in June, launching nearly twice as many missiles and over 30 percent more drones than in May, according to an AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force data.
Kyiv was in June subjected to at least four fatal attacks that left more than 40 people dead. Its residents are worried that a cessation of US aid would leave the capital even more vulnerable.
'We had gotten used to seeing America as a country of values, a country that defends democracy,' Mr Igor Stambol, a Kyiv resident, told AFP.
'But there is hope that they will remember their values,' the 36-year-old added. AFP

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