President Donald Trump announced Monday that the U.S. will resume shipments of defensive weapons to Ukraine, days after his administration temporarily paused certain deliveries.“We’re going to send some more weapons. We have to – they have to be able to defend themselves,” Trump said before a dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “They’re getting hit very hard. We’re going to have to send more weapons—defensive weapons, primarily.”His comments follow a controversial move by the White House last week to suspend select arms shipments to Ukraine, including critical air defense systems. A senior administration official told CNN the decision followed a broader review of military spending and U.S. foreign aid, approved by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.At the time, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said the move reflected the administration’s commitment to putting “America’s interests first.”Some U.S. officials linked the pause to the Pentagon’s strategic pivot toward countering China and preparing for potential future conflicts in the Pacific. This direction has been championed by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby.In a statement during the pause, Colby noted: “The Department of Defense continues to provide the President with robust options to support Ukraine militarily, consistent with his goal of ending this tragic war. At the same time, we are reevaluating our approach to ensure it aligns with broader defense priorities and maintains U.S. military readiness.”Meanwhile, Russia responded positively to the pause, claiming—without evidence—that it was due to a shortage of American weapons.On Monday, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the reversal, saying: “At President Trump’s direction, the Department of Defense will send additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to help them defend themselves while we pursue a lasting peace. Our global evaluation framework for military aid remains in place and is vital to our America First defense strategy.”The United States has been the largest provider of military assistance to Ukraine since the Russian invasion in 2022. Aid has included advanced air defense systems, tanks, drones, radars, and anti-armor weapons, raising growing concerns over U.S. stockpile levels.Earlier this year, Trump temporarily froze all military aid to Ukraine following a contentious Oval Office conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. That aid resumed about a week later.The renewed support comes after Trump held separate calls last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Zelensky. Trump described his call with Putin as disappointing, citing “no progress” toward a ceasefire. By contrast, he praised his conversation with Zelensky, calling it “very good,” and confirmed the U.S. was considering Ukraine’s request for additional Patriot air defense systems.Zelensky later described the call as the “most productive” he’s had with Trump so far. He has recently intensified appeals to Western allies for more aerial defense capabilities following massive Russian drone and missile strikes.One such attack on July 4 marked Russia’s largest aerial assault on Kyiv since the war began, with Ukrainian officials reporting a record 550 drones and missiles launched overnight.On Monday, Trump reiterated his dissatisfaction with the Russian president, saying, “I’m not happy with President Putin at all.”
