Moscow Welcomes U.S. Weapons Pause, Cites Move Could Speed Up End of Ukraine Conflict
The Kremlin on Wednesday praised the United States for suspending select weapons shipments to Ukraine, calling the decision a step toward ending the war.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow, “The fewer weapons sent to Ukraine, the closer we come to completing the special military operation.” Russia continues to refer to its ongoing invasion as a “special operation.”
The comment followed confirmation from the White House that the U.S. has paused some military aid to Ukraine. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said the move came after a Department of Defense review, adding that the pause was meant to “put America’s interests first.”
Though U.S. officials have not publicly specified the exact systems being withheld, reports from U.S. media indicate that shipments of Patriot air defense missiles, precision-guided artillery rounds, and related equipment are among those paused.
The decision arrives at a tense moment in the conflict. Ukraine recently reported its largest aerial assault since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, with more than 500 drones, ballistic, and cruise missiles launched in one weekend.
Ukrainian lawmaker Fedir Venislavskyi called the U.S. move “very unpleasant” and added, “It’s painful, especially after the terrorist attacks we’ve just suffered.”
The Pentagon has expressed concerns that American military reserves are being stretched thin. A U.S. defense official told media the review reflects growing anxiety about force readiness, though Kelly emphasized that “the strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned.”
Elbridge Colby, a senior U.S. defense official, confirmed the Department of Defense continues to present options for continued support to Ukraine. However, he added the department is also reassessing how to balance foreign aid with national defense needs.
The pause follows a recent NATO summit in the Netherlands where President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed air defense assistance. Trump indicated Washington was considering making additional Patriot systems available, saying, “We’re going to see if we can make some of them available.”
Relations between Trump and Zelensky have been turbulent. In March, Trump suspended military aid and intelligence sharing. Both were later restored. In April, Washington and Kyiv signed a deal granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral reserves in exchange for continued support.
While the Biden-era commitments are under review, the battlefield remains active. Russia now controls roughly 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory, including the Crimea peninsula, annexed in 2014. This week, Moscow claimed full control of the Luhansk region and parts of Dnipropetrovsk.
Ukrainian forces have also carried out deep strikes inside Russian territory. On Tuesday, drones hit a defense factory in Izhevsk, 1,300 kilometers from the border, killing three and injuring 45. The factory reportedly produces missile and radar systems for Russia’s military.
Ukraine’s Security Service claimed responsibility, saying the attack demonstrated there are no safe zones for Russia’s war industry.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts remain fragile. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in their first conversation in over two years. Macron urged an immediate ceasefire and negotiations. Putin blamed Western nations for fueling the conflict and said any peace deal must reflect what the Kremlin called “new territorial realities.”
President Zelensky dismissed Putin’s stance, saying Russia continues preparing for new operations and has no intention of ending the war through talks.
“Putin has already stolen half a year from diplomacy,” Zelensky said Monday. “Russia is not changing its plans. It is preparing for escalation not peace.”
