US Gov. Shutdown Stalls Weapons Talks With Ukraine

By Staff, Agencies

The U.S. government shutdown has frozen discussions on future weapons deals with Ukraine, including a potential drone agreement, the Daily Telegraph reported Thursday.

Talks were suspended after Democrats and Republicans failed to reach a spending deal, forcing hundreds of thousands of federal workers into furlough.

Ukrainian officials who had traveled to Washington for negotiations told the paper the shutdown has left future weapons projects “in limbo.”

“Our main concern is we have a lot of discussions ongoing about future shipments. All future projects are harmed because people from the Pentagon, State Department, and White House are not meeting,” a Ukrainian source said.

The pause comes as Ukraine faces what officials described as “unprecedented” Russian attacks and presses for uninterrupted military support.

U.S. aid to Kiev has already faced delays, including a suspension in early 2025 following tensions between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky.

Moscow has repeatedly condemned Western arms shipments, warning they prolong the conflict without altering its outcome.