Pentagon's pause on Ukraine munitions raises alarm; Democrats see ‘rogue actors'
The paused shipments of air defense missiles and precision munitions, first reported by Politico, was done after a review of the Defense Department's munitions stockpiles and worries that U.S. armaments stockpiles were dwindling, three people familiar with the issue told the outlet.
Pentagon's policy chief Elbridge Colby was the main driver in the decision, which came in early June, according to Politico.
'If this is true, then Mr. Colby, who opposed military assistance to Ukraine and even refused to acknowledge that Russia's actions amounted to an 'invasion' of Ukraine in his confirmation hearing, is taking action that will surely result in the imminent death of many Ukrainian military and civilians,' Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) posted to X on Wednesday.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) called Colby and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth 'rogue actors' who are deviating from President Trump's stance from a week ago, when he said the U.S. was 'going to see if we can make some' air defense missiles available for Kyiv.
'President Trump pledged just last week to look for additional air defense systems for Ukraine, but Secretary Hegseth and Under Secretary Colby seem to be ignoring him,' Shaheen said in a statement.
'The Trump Administration's mixed messaging is undermining its own agenda to bring [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to the negotiation table . . . now is not the time for rouge actors undermining our national security interests.'
In a statement to The Hill, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell did not deny the halted shipments, only saying that the U.S. military 'has never been more ready and more capable thanks to President Trump and Secretary Hegseth's leadership,' and that service members 'are fully equipped to deter against any threat.'
The delayed lethal aid has set off alarm bells in Ukraine, which has been hit with intensifying Russian air strikes and battlefield advances.
Russian air strikes involving hundreds of attack drones and ballistic and cruise missiles on Ukrainian cities have killed dozens of people in recent weeks.
The paused shipment prompted Ukraine to call in the acting U.S. envoy to Kyiv to press on the importance of continuing military aid from Washington, Reuters reported.
'The Ukrainian side emphasised that any delay or procrastination in supporting Ukraine's defense capabilities will only encourage the aggressor to continue the war and terror, rather than seek peace,' Ukraine's foreign ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine's defense ministry also said it was seeking clarity from Washington as it had not been officially notified of any pause in U.S. shipments.
In an interview Wednesday with Fox News, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte expressed an understanding for U.S. needs to keep its stockpiles up, but stressed that Ukraine 'cannot do without all the support it can get when it gets to ammunition and to air defense systems.'
Kaptur also highlighted the importance of U.S.-made air defense systems, including the Patriot, in defending Ukraine against Russian strikes.
'They work. They save lives every day,' she said.
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