NBC: Hagesse halts Ukrainian Armed Forces supplies, even though analysis shows aid doesn't threaten U.S. readiness

The Pentagon this week delayed a shipment of U.S. weapons to Ukraine over concerns about low stockpiles, but an analysis by senior military officials found that the aid would not threaten the readiness of the U.S. military. This was reported by NBC News, citing three unnamed U.S. officials.

The move to halt the arms sales surprised the U.S. State Department, members of Congress, officials in Kyiv and European allies, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. Among the critics of the decision were Republicans and Democrats who support helping Ukraine fight Russian aggression.

"We are not at a lower level of stockpiles than we have been in the 3.5 years of the conflict in Ukraine," Adam Smith, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, told NBC.

He added that his staff had "seen the numbers" and, without going into details, that there were no signs of a shortfall that would justify suspending aid to Ukraine.

According to three congressional aides and a former US official, the suspension of military aid to Ukraine was a unilateral move by Defense Secretary Pete Hagel. This was the third time he had unilaterally suspended aid to Ukraine, sources said. In the two previous cases, in February and May, his actions were reversed a few days later.

The interlocutors said that lawmakers from both parties were frustrated that they were not informed in advance and were checking to see if the delay violated the law that obligates them to provide security assistance to Ukraine. These lawmakers and some European allies have been trying to find out why the Pentagon ordered the pause and have been pushing hard to lift the ban.

The White House defended the Defense Department's decision, saying it followed an ongoing review of U.S. assistance to allies and partners abroad that began last month.

The review began after Hagesse issued a memo ordering the Pentagon's Joint Staff to review all munitions stockpiles. According to three officials, the assessment found that some stockpiles of precision munitions are at lower levels, but not yet above critical minimums.

The Joint Staff concluded that further assistance to Ukraine would not reduce U.S. stockpiles below the threshold necessary to ensure military readiness, officials said.

• On July 2, it became known that the Pentagon had suspended the supply of some air defense missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine due to fears that the US arsenals had become too small.
• The Defense Ministry said that was checking the data on the pause in the supply of US weapons.