Defence Secretary: US to cut Ukraine military aid in upcoming budget

The United States will scale back funding for military aid to Ukraine in its forthcoming defence budget, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress on June 10.

“It is a reduction in this budget,” Hegseth stated during a hearing before the House of Representatives, Caliber.Az reports.

The move reflects a shift in the Biden administration's approach to the war in Ukraine. “This administration takes a very different view of that conflict,” Hegseth said.

“We believe that a negotiated peaceful settlement is in the best interest of both parties and our nation's interests, especially with all the competing interests around the globe.”

The Pentagon has yet to publish full documentation for the 2026 defence budget. However, Hegseth noted that the proposal “provides a historic level of funding for military readiness, putting (U.S.) warfighters and their needs first.”

The Pentagon’s latest announcement comes amid a wave of Russian aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities, including unprecedented drone strikes on Kyiv.

In light of the escalation, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on the United States to provide critical air defence systems, offering to buy them directly rather than rely on aid.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Washington has provided more than $66 billion in defence support to Kyiv.

However, the approval of new aid packages was paused after President Donald Trump began his second term in January, signalling a shift in U.S. policy.

While previous administrations emphasised support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, the current approach has placed greater focus on seeking a negotiated settlement with Russia.

Following a high-profile Oval Office meeting in February between Trump and Zelenskyy, U.S. military assistance was temporarily suspended.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who authorised the pause, did not attend the Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting on 4 June — the first such absence by a U.S. defence chief since 2022.

Zelenskyy recently stated in an interview that 20,000 anti-drone missiles initially allocated to Ukraine were redirected to U.S. forces in the Middle East.

By Aghakazim Guliyev