Trump’s chaotic Ukraine weapons flip-flop undermines his own peace deal ambitions

The Trump administration suddenly stopped sending weapons to Ukraine last week, citing concerns about low U.S. ammunition supplies. However, this decision was quickly reversed on Monday when Trump announced that weapons shipments would continue as normal.

According to MSNBC, the initial pause in deliveries was so sudden that some weapons that were already loaded on trucks in European countries and ready to be sent to Ukraine had to be stopped. The White House spokesperson claimed the decision was made to “put America’s interests first.”

However, according to NBC News, which spoke to three U.S. officials, military analysis showed that sending aid to Ukraine would not harm American military supplies. This inconsistent approach to Ukraine aid undermines Trump’s own peace deal ambitions with Russia.

Military experts find no real threat to U.S. ammunition supplies

The Pentagon’s Joint Staff review, ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, found that while some high-precision munitions were at lower levels, they had not reached critical minimums. The assessment concluded that helping Ukraine would not reduce U.S. supplies below the required levels needed for military readiness.

Three congressional aides and a former U.S. official familiar with the situation revealed that Hegseth made the decision to pause aid by himself. This decision came despite military officers finding that the aid package would not put American ammunition supplies at risk. Trump’s approach to military appointments has raised questions about defense decision-making processes.

Trump’s sudden change of position became clear on Monday when he told reporters that weapons deliveries to Ukraine must continue. ‘We have to,’ Trump said. ‘They have to be able to defend themselves.’ This reversal came just days after the initial pause was announced. Trump’s frequent position changes have drawn criticism from both supporters and detractors.

The inconsistent handling of Ukraine aid could affect peace negotiations with Russia. Trump recently expressed disappointment after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he “didn’t make any progress” toward a deal with Ukraine. Experts suggest that such unpredictable behavior in providing aid to Ukraine might encourage Putin to avoid serious peace talks, possibly hoping that Trump will eventually stop supporting Ukraine completely.

This back-and-forth approach to supporting Ukraine makes it harder for the country to defend itself against Russia’s ongoing invasion, particularly in the eastern regions where Ukrainian forces are trying to hold their positions.