Pentagon halting some promised munitions for Ukraine
A review of Pentagon munitions stockpiles led to concerns that the total number of artillery rounds, air defense missiles and precision munitions was sinking. | Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images
By Paul McLeary Jack Detsch and Joe Gould
07/01/2025 04:30 PM EDT
The Pentagon has halted shipments of some air defense missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine due to worries that U.S. weapons stockpiles have fallen too low.
The decision was driven by the Pentagon's policy chief, Elbridge Colby, and was made after a review of Pentagon munitions stockpiles, leading to concerns that the total number of artillery rounds, air defense missiles and precision munitions was sinking, according to three people familiar with the issue.
The initial decision to withhold some aid promised during the Biden administration came in early June, according to the people, but is only taking effect now as Ukraine is beating back some of the largest Russian barrages of missiles and drones at civilian targets in Kyiv and elsewhere.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
30 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Can Trump's Patriot Missiles Help Ukraine Turn the Tide Against Russia?
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States will send additional Patriot air-defense systems to Ukraine, part of a European Union–funded deal intended to bolster Kyiv's defenses against intensifying Russian missile and drone attacks and coming as President Donald Trump is voicing increased frustrations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Sunday, Trump confirmed that Patriots "which they desperately need" would be sent, paid for "100 percent" by European allies. Trump, returning to Washington from New Jersey, added pointedly: "He [Putin] talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening. I don't like it." Trump is expected to announce further measures on Russia in meetings with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and lawmakers this week. Germany has already agreed to finance at least two Patriot batteries, and Norway reportedly joined in funding additional units. Ukraine currently operates a small number of Patriots donated during the Biden administration but has pleaded for more to defend critical infrastructure and population centers. This photograph taken during sunset on March 6, 2025 shows Patriot air defence systems installed at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport, a logistics hub for US and European military aid to Ukraine, in Jasionka, south-eastern Poland. This photograph taken during sunset on March 6, 2025 shows Patriot air defence systems installed at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport, a logistics hub for US and European military aid to Ukraine, in Jasionka, south-eastern Poland. Photo by Sergei GAPON / AFP) (Photo by SERGEI GAPON/AFP via Getty Images What is the Patriot system? Developed by Raytheon Technologies, the MIM-104 Patriot—short for Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target—is a mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system designed to intercept aircraft, cruise missiles, drones and tactical ballistic missiles. A valuable defensive weapon, a typical Patriot battery consists of radar and control units, power supply, launchers and support vehicles. The system has evolved since its debut in the 1980s. Early PAC-2 missiles used blast-fragmentation warheads, while newer PAC-3 missiles employ a hit-to-kill mechanism for greater accuracy. Depending on the configuration, the Patriot can engage targets up to 100 miles away at altitudes exceeding 14 miles. Those capabilities don't come cheap. Each battery costs about $1.1 billion, with individual interceptors running $4 million apiece, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). 'Not a game changer by itself' Mark F. Cancian, a senior adviser at CSIS, told Newsweek the major effect of the U.S.-EU deal is intended to be more political than tactical — pressuring Moscow to enter ceasefire negotiations, which Trump emphasized during his press conference. "The amounts are significant — Trump talked about 'billions of dollars' — but it will take months for the packages to be put together," Cancian said. "I expect announcements of equipment packages of several hundred million dollars every few weeks." He cautioned that the focus on the Patriot system is disproportionate to its battlefield impact. "There is too much focus on Patriot. It's an important capability but designed to defend against ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. About 10 percent of Russia's attacking missiles are in those categories," Cancian said. "Most of the attacks come from the low-technology suicide drones. For these, Ukraine needs a wide variety of air defense systems, which will likely be in the packages." In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire following Russia's drones attack in Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire following Russia's drones attack in Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. AP Cancian stressed that Ukraine's needs extend far beyond air defenses. "It also needs weapons, munitions, and supplies across the board since its armies in combat go through these at a high rate," he said. The EU deal is meant to show the West's united front against Russian aggression, to force Moscow to "participate in ceasefire negotiations," he said. "But the real battlefield need is broader — Ukraine needs a wide range of air defenses for the drones and low-cost attacks they face daily, and they need weapons, munitions, and supplies of all kinds. Patriot is important, but it is not a game changer by itself." Why is the U.S. sending more aid now? Trump's decision to broker the EU deal reflects both a response to Ukraine's urgent pleas and his own frustrations with Putin's continued escalation in spite of White House efforts to bring him to the negotiating table. As Trump himself said: "We're not paying anything for them... but we will get them Patriots." The announcement also reverses a months-long freeze on U.S. weapons shipments to Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently told reporters after meetings with European leaders that he had received "all necessary political signals" for aid to resume and described his dialogue with Trump as "constructive and very positive." The German government confirmed that Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will meet U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week to finalize details of the Patriot transfers, amid Berlin's continued refusal to send its long-range Taurus missiles over fears of escalation on European soil.
Business Insider
an hour ago
- Business Insider
The Patriot missile is proving critical in Ukraine's defense
Donald Trump's push to send more Patriot missiles to Ukraine has reignited focus on one of the most advanced air defense systems in the world. As Ukraine relies on Patriots to stop Russian ballistic missile strikes, the US is watching closely.
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Trump's bold pivot on Ukraine sends major signal
President Donald Trump's meeting on Monday with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte marks more than a diplomatic courtesy. It signals a sharp, strategic shift in the U.S. posture toward Russia's war against Ukraine—one that replaces hesitation with resolve, passive support with deterrent action, and vague calls for peace with a clear doctrine: peace through strength. Over the past week, the Trump administration has taken several bold steps. First, after briefly pausing military shipments amid a Pentagon inventory review, the president confirmed that the U.S. will resume sending Patriot missile systems to Ukraine -- air defense platforms capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles. These systems are vital, as they are the only defense Ukraine currently possesses against such threats. More importantly, Trump signaled that the United States is now willing to provide offensive weapons as well, marking a clear escalation in America's role. That alone would mark a major change. But what elevates today's developments into a true turning point is how Trump is structuring the deal: the United States will sell sophisticated military equipment to NATO allies, who will then transfer it to Ukraine. In his own words: "We're going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military [equipment], and they're going to pay us 100 percent. It'll be business for us." Now to be clear, President Joe Biden previously promised to send offensive weapons -- specifically M1A1 Abrams tanks -- to Ukraine. So, this is not a shift in intent, but rather a shift in strategy. What's new, and smart, is the mechanism: Trump's NATO-centered transfer system streamlines delivery, shares financial responsibility, and empowers the alliance to take ownership of regional security. That's a great idea -- and one Biden never executed. But Trump's vision needs more than diplomacy and logistics. It needs production. Biden, despite his pledges, failed to put the American defense industry on a wartime footing. The shortfall in munitions, air defenses, and heavy armor is real. If Trump's plan is to succeed, he must ignite a national surge in defense manufacturing capacity. The Pentagon should be working overtime with American industry to retool, retrain, and ramp up output -- not just for Ukraine, but for Taiwan, Israel, and our own readiness. This is a profound shift. Under President Biden, U.S. policy vacillated between urgency and caution -- sending large packages of aid but often stumbling under the weight of bureaucratic delay, congressional deadlock, and concerns over escalation. Under President Trump's new model, NATO becomes the buyer, Ukraine becomes the recipient, and American factories become the arsenal of democracy once again -- but without draining the U.S. treasury. This is a smart policy. It respects American taxpayers. It leverages our allies. And it sends a strong, unmistakable message to Moscow: The free world is done waiting. What Triggered the Shift? The trigger appears to be Russian President Vladimir Putin's continued intransigence. Despite diplomatic efforts and public pressure, Putin rejects both ceasefire and peace talks. Instead, Russia has launched the heaviest wave of drone and missile attacks since the war began. These are not tactical operations; they are campaigns of terror targeting civilians, schools, and critical infrastructure. President Trump appears to have had enough. "He talks nice," Trump said of Putin, "and then he bombs everybody in the evening." In another candid moment, the Trump added, "He just wants to kill people." Such direct, unapologetic language is quite different from the diplomatic hedging of years past. And it matters -- because it frames the conflict for what it truly is: a battle between a tyrant who thrives on destruction and free nations that are finally waking up. NATO, Tariffs, and Real Deterrence In coordination with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, President Trump and NATO have forged a comprehensive framework: At the same time, Trump issued a clear ultimatum to Russia: If no peace deal is reached in 50 days, the U.S. will impose 100% secondary tariffs on countries that continue buying Russian oil and gas -- including China and India. Congress is backing the plan, with bipartisan support led by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. Trump rightly noted that tariffs are leverage -- economic weapons in the war for peace. He's deploying them with precision. Immediate Action, Real Consequences This isn't theoretical. Patriot missile systems and other air defenses will begin arriving in Ukraine within days. NATO members are preparing to transfer many Patriot units, with U.S. factories set to backfill those stocks. Trump's envoy is coordinating with Germany and other European powers to ensure speed and transparency in delivery. Ukraine will receive what it needs, while the U.S. maintains readiness at home. Peace Through Strength Let's be clear: This is not an open-ended war strategy. Trump still believes the war can and should end swiftly - preferably through negotiations. But as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, put it: "Russia does not want a ceasefire. Peace through strength is President Donald Trump's principle, and we support this approach." That phrase, "peace through strength," isn't new, but it's timely. It was President Ronald Reagan's guiding principle in facing down the Soviet Union. Now, Trump is applying it to a 21st-century version of the same threat. What's new, however, is the delivery mechanism. Trump is achieving deterrence without entangling the U.S. directly in another costly foreign war. His administration is positioning America as the enabler of allied defense, the supplier of strength, and the economic hammer against those who support tyranny. Additionally, Trump is reportedly considering activating $3.85 billion in unused drawdown authority from the Biden era and seizing up to $5 billion in frozen Russian assets to help fund Ukraine's defense. If executed effectively, this could finance a robust, sustainable Ukrainian resistance—without new taxpayer burdens. What Comes Next? Monday's announcement codifies this entire shift: Some critics will accuse Trump of abandoning his promise to end the war in 24 hours. But that criticism misses the point. You don't negotiate from weakness. You negotiate from strength. By arming Ukraine, rallying NATO, and leveraging economic pressure, Trump is giving peace a real chance -- on American terms, not Putin's. Final Thought For the first time in months, Kyiv has reason to hope, NATO has reason to believe, and Moscow has reason to fear. That's what leadership looks like. And that's what the world witnessed Monday at the White House.
