On Monday (July 7, 2025), President Donald Trump stated that the United States would need to send additional weapons to Ukraine, just days after halting key arms deliveries to Kyiv. The reversal came after the Pentagon recently announced it would suspend the transfer of certain air defense systems, guided artillery, and other military aid due to concerns over dwindling U.S. stockpiles.

 

“We have to,” Trump told reporters when asked about further arms support for Ukraine. “They need to be able to protect themselves.”

 

At the same time, Russian strikes in Ukraine killed at least 11 civilians and wounded over 80 others, including seven children, according to Ukrainian officials.

 

The sudden suspension of critical weapons such as Patriot missiles, GMLRS, Hellfire missiles, and Howitzer ammunition caught Ukrainian officials and other allies off guard. The decision came at a particularly vulnerable time for Ukraine, which is facing increasingly sophisticated air assaults from Russia in the ongoing conflict, now in its fourth year.

 

The Pentagon has yet to confirm whether the paused shipments will resume.

 

Despite previously pledging to end the war on the first day of his second term, Trump now says he is committed to ending the conflict swiftly. However, he has expressed growing dissatisfaction with Russian President Vladimir