Pentagon Halt on Ukraine Arms Sparks GOP Backlash and European Workaround

The Pentagon has halted shipments of certain air-defence missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine, citing a review of U.S. stockpiles. The pause, disclosed earlier this week, was not broadly coordinated inside the administration and came as a surprise to members of Congress, State Department officials and key European allies, according to multiple officials quoted by Politico.

Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican who sits on the House Intelligence Committee, sent a letter to President Donald Trump on 2 July requesting an emergency briefing from the White House and the Defense Department. Fitzpatrick warned that withholding "urgent, lifesaving" weapons comes as Russia steps up its summer offensive against Ukrainian positions, adding that “there can be no half-measures in the defence of liberty.” Copies of the letter were also sent to commentator Pete Hegseth and Senator Marco Rubio.

The unannounced freeze has triggered a search for alternative channels of support. Politico reports that several European governments are discussing using their own defence budgets to purchase U.S. weapons and then transfer them to Kyiv—spending that would count toward NATO commitments but would still require Washington’s approval.

Pentagon and White House officials have not specified the duration or scope of the suspension. Some members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff allegedly opposed the move, while administration officials described the step as a routine assessment of inventory levels needed to maintain U.S. readiness.