People in U.S. "shocked" by possible halt in arms to Ukraine — UCCA

Andrij Dobriansky, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, shared the information on Espreso TV.

"Since the beginning of this administration, many departments and agencies have been downsized. Including the White House National Security Council. Starting with the first head, Mike Waltz, who left, and now Marco Rubio, who is the head of the State Department, who is also the Secretary of State, and who is also the National Security Advisor, is playing this role. This coordination council has become so small that different agencies, federal ministers do not talk to each other. One person who hates Ukraine and helping Ukraine, in the Pentagon, and who had many arguments against his nomination, he decided to start an investigation into any weapons transferred to Ukraine. And this will stop everything. This is not a single project that he stopped and started an investigation, and various international ones that he himself led. The Secretary of State has not heard about this, even though he heads the National Security Council. Neither have other departments, federal agencies, even the congressmen themselves who included this bill to transfer weapons to Ukraine," he said.

Brian Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the Ukrainian Congressional Caucus, sent a letter to the White House demanding an explanation for the situation.

Andrij Dobriansky explained that this is legislation, so it can't simply be stopped at will.

"Nothing came from the White House, they just didn't know about it, just like everyone else was saying. I don't see any mention anywhere that they knew about it or any statement. And there's no response from the White House that you knew about it. Right now, it looks like it's one person or his team in the Pentagon that has kept this quiet. And this is a problem. I would also add that former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, President Trump's chief Christian pastor, Mark Burns, who visited Ukraine a few months ago, also asked President Trump for an explanation: “Show us that this happened.” People are shocked that this happened, the reaction in both parties, different parts of the federal government. It seems that one person has the power to stop everything and didn't pass it on to the Secretary of Defense, because we didn't hear that he approved it, and the National Security Advisor didn't know about it. There is a problem that they have reduced federal agencies and various coordination councils, so that no one knows what one hand is doing and what the other is doing," Dobriansky added.

Background

• On July 2, the media reported that the United States has suspended deliveries of certain air defense missiles and precision-guided munitions to Ukraine over concerns about shrinking U.S. stockpiles.
• The Ukrainian side currently has no official confirmation of a suspension of missile and other ammunition supplies from the United States for air defense systems.
• In addition, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry invited the U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to discuss military assistance and defense cooperation amid escalating Russian aggression. The two sides also discussed ongoing consultations on defense supplies and future contacts to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities and pressure on Russia.
• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte responded by recognizing the right of the United States to take care of its interests, but emphasized the importance of further military assistance to Ukraine. A Pentagon spokesman told Ukrinform that the U.S. Department of Defense continues to provide President Donald Trump with options for further military assistance to Ukraine.
• On Wednesday, July 2, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine and the United States are currently clarifying all the details of defense support supplies at the working level, including air defense components.