US Suspends Certain Missile Shipments to Kyiv – DW – 07/02/2025

The Pentagon has halted some weapons shipments to Ukraine over concerns that US stockpiles have fallen too low.

“This decision was made to put America’s interests first following a review of our nation’s military support and assistance to other countries across the globe,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement.

The move represents a blow to Ukraine as it tries to fend off Russia’s missile and drone attacks.

In addition to ramping up air attacks across Ukraine, Russian forces, which already control about a fifth of Ukraine, continue to advance gradually.

They have gained ground in recent weeks in Ukraine’s southeastern regions of Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk.

Among the weapons shipments halted by the US are air defense interceptors to help knock down Russian drones and projectiles, and other precision munitions, Reuters news agency reported, citing two people familiar with the decision.

The US has so far provided Ukraine over $66 billion (€56 billion) worth of weapons and military assistance since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

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French President Emmanuel Macron and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, spoke Tuesday by telephone for the first time in over two-and-a-half years.

During the talks, Macron urged a ceasefire in Ukraine, but Russia’s leader responded by blaming the West for the conflict.

The talks lasted for more than two hours.

Macron and Putin agreed to hold more contacts on Ukraine and Iran in the future, the French presidency said.

Macron had informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of his plans to speak with Putin, and talked to him afterwards, Macron’s office said without providing further details of the call to Zelenskyy.

The French president tried in a series of calls in 2022 to warn Putin against invading Ukraine and traveled to Moscow early that year.

He kept up phone contact with Putin after the invasion, but talks then ceased.

The last call between the two leaders dated back to September 2022.

Macron has over the last year toughened his line against Russia, saying its expansionism is a threat to all of Europe.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmBo