Conflicting reports surfaced in Kyiv on Thursday regarding a possible halt in U.S. weapons sales and deliveries to Ukraine. Verkhovna Rada lawmaker Roman Kostenko claimed that arms shipments had been paused, with companies awaiting political decisions before proceeding. However, the exact reason for the delay remained unclear.
“There’s a hold on weapon deliveries that were set to be sold. The companies involved are waiting for a decision,” Kostenko stated, suggesting financial incentives might be explored to resolve the issue.
Shortly after, fellow lawmaker and defense advisor Oleksandra Ustinova dismissed the claim outright. “The United States did NOT stop selling weapons to Ukraine,” she declared on Facebook.
If true, the suspension could reflect growing tensions between Kyiv and the Trump administration. Trump has cast doubt on President Zelensky’s legitimacy—echoing Kremlin rhetoric—while Zelensky fired back, accusing Trump of operating in a “disinformation space.”
The exchange sparked backlash from global leaders and even Trump’s own party. In response, Trump pledged to revisit a stalled deal granting U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources, warning that failure to comply “won’t make Zelensky too happy.”
