The U.S. has temporarily halted the delivery of advanced weapon shipments destined for Ukraine, which had already been staged in Poland. The pause includes a range of sophisticated arms, such as more than two dozen PAC-3 Patriot missiles, over two dozen Stinger air-defense systems, Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, and over 90 AIM air-to-air missiles intended for use with Ukraine’s F-16 fighter jets, as revealed by the Wall Street Journal and U.S. officials. According to the Pentagon, the halt stems from an ongoing capability review to evaluate and align military support with the nation’s strategic defense priorities, a move they describe as a common-sense, pragmatic step.
However, the decision has drawn heavy criticism from lawmakers, including Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, with the former calling the pause ‘unacceptable’ and the latter denouncing it as ‘fallacious and maybe even disingenuous.’ The delay comes as Ukraine faces a significant escalation in Russian missile and drone attacks, including the largest aerial assault in over two years on June 29, which targeted civilian infrastructure and cities far beyond the frontline. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has expressed concern over the pause, emphasizing the urgent need for continued Western support for Kyiv. The Pentagon has not yet provided a timeline for when the held-back shipments might resume.