Berliner Boersenzeitung - Ukraine scrambling for clarity as US downplays halt to arms shipments

EUR -
AED 4.310546
AFN 80.452383
ALL 97.852997
AMD 449.184236
ANG 2.100545
AOA 1076.316439
ARS 1470.182173
AUD 1.792196
AWG 2.112725
AZN 1.995616
BAM 1.954853
BBD 2.361666
BDT 142.580904
BGN 1.954746
BHD 0.442359
BIF 3485.040818
BMD 1.173736
BND 1.498387
BOB 8.082118
BRL 6.553322
BSD 1.169938
BTN 100.185876
BWP 15.62736
BYN 3.827861
BYR 23005.229512
BZD 2.349471
CAD 1.605736
CDF 3387.402724
CHF 0.931741
CLF 0.02904
CLP 1114.392206
CNY 8.427719
CNH 8.427573
COP 4720.766995
CRC 589.924171
CUC 1.173736
CUP 31.104009
CVE 110.21206
CZK 24.64728
DJF 208.289949
DKK 7.461189
DOP 70.137206
DZD 152.215948
EGP 58.234568
ERN 17.606043
ETB 162.293017
FJD 2.634683
FKP 0.86477
GBP 0.862667
GEL 3.180901
GGP 0.86477
GHS 12.204718
GIP 0.86477
GMD 83.919178
GNF 10150.254075
GTQ 8.989682
GYD 244.602506
HKD 9.213741
HNL 30.585699
HRK 7.534566
HTG 153.516913
HUF 399.446217
IDR 19025.500867
ILS 3.90039
IMP 0.86477
INR 100.477042
IQD 1532.250934
IRR 49443.637218
ISK 143.406303
JEP 0.86477
JMD 186.978592
JOD 0.832134
JPY 171.534557
KES 151.353706
KGS 102.643075
KHR 4696.763932
KMF 494.143395
KPW 1056.336774
KRW 1610.955233
KWD 0.358377
KYD 0.974723
KZT 606.573467
LAK 25201.679741
LBP 104801.858765
LKR 351.638096
LRD 234.51735
LSL 20.881079
LTL 3.465738
LVL 0.709981
LYD 6.325961
MAD 10.563544
MDL 19.825477
MGA 5177.468908
MKD 61.529296
MMK 2464.26782
MNT 4212.021788
MOP 9.457517
MRU 46.632364
MUR 53.158745
MVR 18.072043
MWK 2028.208477
MXN 21.844289
MYR 4.986619
MZN 75.072031
NAD 20.848608
NGN 1793.469259
NIO 43.039509
NOK 11.831959
NPR 160.299049
NZD 1.953772
OMR 0.451302
PAB 1.169638
PEN 4.152288
PGK 4.906706
PHP 66.218623
PKR 333.93139
PLN 4.24335
PYG 9065.645346
QAR 4.264951
RON 5.07688
RSD 117.150422
RUB 91.78974
RWF 1683.13771
SAR 4.403591
SBD 9.78535
SCR 17.163675
SDG 704.848441
SEK 11.146861
SGD 1.501097
SHP 0.922372
SLE 26.412043
SLL 24612.665539
SOS 668.473206
SRD 43.72226
STD 24293.969568
SVC 10.233997
SYP 15261.070484
SZL 20.847808
THB 38.275501
TJS 11.316464
TMT 4.119814
TND 3.420957
TOP 2.749007
TRY 46.995458
TTD 7.942117
TWD 34.323607
TZS 3083.99385
UAH 48.8892
UGX 4198.983032
USD 1.173736
UYU 47.317271
UZS 14868.794483
VES 133.343825
VND 30656.228929
VUV 140.031334
WST 3.23172
XAF 655.636481
XAG 0.032227
XAU 0.000354
XCD 3.172081
XDR 0.815401
XOF 655.642064
XPF 119.331742
YER 283.868298
ZAR 20.882715
ZMK 10565.068428
ZMW 28.452333
ZWL 377.942577
  • CMSC

    0.0900

    22.314

    +0.4%

  • CMSD

    0.0250

    22.285

    +0.11%

  • RBGPF

    0.0000

    69.04

    0%

  • SCS

    0.0400

    10.74

    +0.37%

  • RELX

    0.0300

    53

    +0.06%

  • RIO

    -0.1400

    59.33

    -0.24%

  • GSK

    0.1300

    41.45

    +0.31%

  • NGG

    0.2700

    71.48

    +0.38%

  • BP

    0.1750

    30.4

    +0.58%

  • BTI

    0.7150

    48.215

    +1.48%

  • BCC

    0.7900

    91.02

    +0.87%

  • JRI

    0.0200

    13.13

    +0.15%

  • VOD

    0.0100

    9.85

    +0.1%

  • BCE

    -0.0600

    22.445

    -0.27%

  • RYCEF

    0.1000

    12

    +0.83%

  • AZN

    -0.1200

    73.71

    -0.16%

Ukraine scrambling for clarity as US downplays halt to arms shipments
Ukraine scrambling for clarity as US downplays halt to arms shipments / Photo: Florent VERGNES - AFP

Ukraine scrambling for clarity as US downplays halt to arms shipments

US officials on Wednesday downplayed a White House announcement that Washington was pausing some weapons shipments to Ukraine, after the war-battered country was caught off-guard and appealed for clarity.

Text size:

Ukraine is contending with some of Russia's largest missile and drone attacks of the three-year war, and a halt to the provision of munitions -- especially for air defense -- would be a significant blow to Kyiv.

"The Department of Defense continues to provide the president with robust options regarding military aid to Ukraine, consistent with his goal of bringing this tragic war to an end," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told journalists Wednesday.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce meanwhile told reporters that "this is not a cessation of us assisting Ukraine or of providing weapons. This is one event, and one situation, and we'll discuss what else comes up in the future."

The White House had said Tuesday that it is halting some key weapons shipments to Ukraine that were promised under the Biden administration, without providing details on which weapons programmes were affected.

It said the decision was taken after a review of US defense needs and of its military assistance to foreign countries.

Moscow revelled in the decision, saying that it could bring the end of the war closer.

Politico and other US media reported that missiles for Patriot air defence systems, precision artillery and Hellfire missiles are among the items being held back.

But the State Department's Bruce said Wednesday that "the president has also indicated his remaining commitment regarding Patriot missiles," Bruce said, referring to an air defense system that has played a key role in defending against Russian attacks.

Kyiv has long feared halts to US aid after Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, having criticised the tens of billions of dollars in support and weapons sent by his predecessor, Joe Biden.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an evening address that Kyiv and Washington were clarifying details on supplies.

"Continued American support for Ukraine, for our defence, for our people is in our common interest," he said.

The Ukrainian foreign ministry summoned John Ginkel, the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Kyiv, in a rare diplomatic move that is usually reserved for foes and rivals, not vital allies, indicative of the uncertainty about what the cuts would mean for Kyiv.

Under Biden, Washington spearheaded Western support for Ukraine, with Congress having approved more than $100 billion in aid, including $43 billion in weaponry.

Trump instead has pushed the two sides into peace talks, including in phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin -- who rejected pleas for a ceasefire and demanded that Ukraine cede more territory if it wants Moscow to halt its invasion, which was launched in 2022.

- 'Consistent pressure' -

Trump has refused to announce new aid packages and Kyiv has been corralling Washington's European allies to step up their support.

Kyiv remains "seriously dependent" on US arms supplies, a high-ranking source in the Ukrainian military told AFP.

"Europe is doing its best, but it will be difficult for us without American ammunition," the source added.

A May report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said that Europe "had only made limited progress" in strengthening its defence industries.

But it said that "continued US aid remains extremely important for Ukraine's long-term effectiveness on the battlefield."

In Moscow, the Kremlin said that reducing weapons deliveries to Kyiv would help end the conflict.

"The fewer the number of weapons that are delivered to Ukraine, the closer the end of the special military operation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response to a question by AFP, using Russia's term for its more than three-year-long offensive.

- Escalating drone attacks -

Russia ramped up attacks on Ukraine in June, launching nearly twice as many missiles and more than 30 percent more drones than in May, according to an AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force data.

Kyiv was in June subjected to at least four fatal attacks that left more than 40 people dead. Its residents are worried that a cessation of US aid would leave the capital even more vulnerable.

"We had gotten used to seeing America as a country of values, a country that defends democracy," Igor Stambol, a Kyiv resident, told AFP.

"But there is hope that they will remember their values," the 36-year-old added.

(K.Müller--BBZ)