US lawmakers reject new Ukraine aid as Pentagon confirms budget cuts

In a tense session on Capitol Hill, US lawmakers engaged in a heated debate over whether to include an additional $300 million in security assistance for Ukraine in the annual defence spending bill.

The proposal, introduced by Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, ultimately failed in a voice vote after more than an hour of deliberations, Caliber.Az reports, citing American media.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., cautioned that including the Ukraine funding could jeopardise the entire defence bill. He argued that the amendment risked alienating some Republicans and would likely fail to win Democratic support due to the conservative policy riders attached to the broader legislation.

“I say that as somebody who’s consistently supported Ukraine. I wrote the bill for the largest single aid package, and my opinion on this has not changed, but the politics is just practical,” Cole said. “I want to get a defence bill done, and I’m not interested in dividing those who will support it.”

Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., expressed rare bipartisan sentiment by saying he would vote in favour of the amendment despite its potential political fallout. “We are the United States of America. We have a responsibility in this world,” Edwards said. “It’s going to be unpopular for me to support this amendment with a lot of people back at home, but by George, I’m going to vote for it.”

The debate comes amid a broader shift in Washington’s posture toward the war in Ukraine under the administration of President Donald Trump. Secretary of Defence Pete Hagertz confirmed during a hearing before the House Appropriations Committee that the Pentagon plans to reduce funding for the purchase of new weapons for Ukraine.

In response to a direct question about future Ukraine aid, Hagertz stated, “The budget for this initiative will be reduced.” He emphasised that the current administration views the conflict differently from its predecessor: “We believe that a peaceful settlement is in the interests of both sides and in the interests of our country, especially given all the conflicts in the world.”

Although the United States remains one of Ukraine’s key military backers, no new military aid has been delivered under Trump’s second term. Recent shipments to Ukraine have only included weapons approved under former President Joe Biden’s administration.

Further complicating the situation, the Wall Street Journal recently reported that missile components originally designated for Ukraine are being redirected to bolster US forces in the Middle East. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later confirmed the report, underscoring Kyiv’s growing concerns about waning Western support.

By Tamilla Hasanova