Trump claims US still ‘giving weapons’ to Kiev

(MENAFN) President Donald Trump has dismissed reports claiming the United States has completely stopped sending military aid to Ukraine, insisting that weapon deliveries are still ongoing—albeit with a focus on safeguarding America’s own stockpiles.

Earlier in the week, multiple outlets reported that the US had paused shipments of key weapons systems to Kiev, including Patriot and Hellfire missiles, GMLRS rockets, and large quantities of 155mm artillery shells. The Economist even speculated that Washington could be scaling back support altogether.

Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One on Thursday, Trump clarified that while the US is still supplying arms to Ukraine, there's a need to ensure national defense remains fully equipped. “We’re giving weapons, but we’ve given so many. Biden practically emptied our supplies,” he said. “We need to make sure we have enough for ourselves.”

Although Trump didn’t provide details on which systems are still being supplied, his remarks echoed earlier statements from the Pentagon and the White House that aid prioritization reflects “America First” defense considerations.

Since taking office, Trump’s administration hasn’t approved any new aid packages for Ukraine, and he has criticized past assistance that offered no direct return for US taxpayers. Citing figures from the Kiel Institute, nearly $115 billion in aid has been provided to Ukraine since 2022, though Trump has claimed the real total is “hundreds of billions.” Recently, the US secured a deal for priority access to Ukraine’s mineral reserves—an attempt to recover some previous spending.

In response to the reported suspension, Ukrainian officials summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires to express concern over the need to continue receiving already-promised aid. One Ukrainian lawmaker, Mariana Bezuglaya, even declared that “the US is no longer our ally,” although no formal alliance treaty exists.

Meanwhile, Russia continues to condemn Western weapons shipments to Ukraine, arguing they prolong the conflict and escalate tensions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that the fewer missiles Ukraine receives, the sooner the conflict may end. He suggested that the current freeze may be temporary and related to US commitments to support Israel in its standoff with Iran.

In a phone conversation the same day, President Vladimir Putin told Trump that Russia remains open to peace negotiations, but will not compromise until what he called the “root causes” of the Ukraine war are addressed, according to aide Yury Ushakov.

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