The US suspended arms and military equipment deliveries to Ukraine in the final year of Joe Biden's presidency to avoid increasing the risks of escalation from aggressor country of russia and depleting its own reserves, according to a Reuters investigation.
According to the publication, the supply disruption lasted for months, not only due to delays in Congress, but also internal debates over the risks of escalation with russia. In addition, there was "chaos" in the system for tracking arms transfers, as the definition of "delivered" varied even among different branches of the military.
"The delays were the worst in months as Congress tried to pass USD 60 billion in additional aid to Ukraine, backed by opposition from Donald Trump and congressional Republicans amid Trump's re-election campaign. But the pause continued after the funds were approved," Reuters wrote, citing an analysis of official reports, U.S. spending data and interviews with more than 40 Ukrainian and U.S. officials, congressional aides and lawmakers.
By November 2024, the United States had delivered only about half of the total amount it had promised to allocate from U.S. stocks, and only about 30% of the promised armored vehicles had arrived by early December. One U.S. official said he was disappointed with the aid to Ukraine, which could have received more weapons and advanced equipment earlier in the war. He said the slow pace of aid had hampered a decisive Ukrainian offensive in 2024.
This approach of the US and Biden was criticized in particular by US President Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and the russian federation, Keith Kellogg.
"There was a lot of talk about providing things, but they were not in the right quantity. They were not at the right time. The Biden administration was afraid of escalation. I believe that major powers are not afraid of escalation," Kellogg said.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on January 1, the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council denied that the suspension of US international aid to Ukraine by the new US President Donald Trump concerns military aid.
On January 24, the US Department of Defense stated that US President Donald Trump's decree on the suspension of aid to foreign countries for three months does not apply to military support for Ukraine.
On January 25, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the US has not suspended military aid to Ukraine.
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