Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) has reached out to the White House and the Department of Defense (DOD) regarding an urgent matter: the recent halt in the shipment of air defense missiles and ammunition to Ukraine.
“I would like to request an emergency briefing from the White House and the Department of Defense concerning our nation’s arms and munitions stockpile. This decision to withhold military assistance to Ukraine is quite concerning,” Fitzpatrick stated in Congress, asserting his strong support for Ukraine in a letter addressed to the White House.
A Pennsylvania Republican, Fitzpatrick emphasized that while the U.S. works to bolster its own defense industrial bases, it must also deliver the necessary support to allies defending themselves against aggressive invaders.
His brief letter followed reports indicating that the DOD had ceased shipments of certain missiles and ammunition to Ukraine over worries that U.S. military stockpiles were running low.
In a statement on Tuesday, Elbridge Colby, the DOD’s director for Policy, shared, “The Pentagon continues to offer the President strong options for military aid to Ukraine, aligning with his goal of ending this tragic war. At the same time, the department is assessing its strategy to maintain the prioritization of U.S. military defense.”
When asked for a comment about Fitzpatrick’s letter, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly mentioned, “Following a DOD review, the decision has been made to prioritize U.S. interests first.” This response echoed what the White House stated on Tuesday regarding the suspension of arms to Ukraine. The Pentagon was also approached for further comment.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. has provided substantial military aid, amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars.
The choice to suspend arms deliveries to Ukraine has drawn criticism from some Democrats in Congress. Representative Mercy Kapter (D-Ohio) asserted that Colby is contributing to “the imminent deaths of many Ukrainian troops and civilians.”
Meanwhile, Russia has continued its aggressive actions against Ukraine, launching significant airstrikes on Sunday with over 60 missiles and 477 drones deployed, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expressed that delays in supporting Ukraine’s defense capabilities would only embolden invaders to persist in warfare rather than pursue peace.
The DOD indicated that it hadn’t received official notification regarding any suspension of shipments from Washington and is currently seeking clarification from the Trump administration.
