What military aid was the US giving Ukraine and why has Trump paused it?

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The US has provided $65.9bn in military support to Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion but further contributions hang in the balance after Donald Trump ordered a pause on aid to Kyiv.

The then president, Joe Biden, approved the assistance, reaffirming what the state department called the US’s “unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”. Congress has already approved many billions more in supplies.

But that changed with Trump’s shock shift in approach to the war.

Here is a breakdown of the main deliveries of US military aid to Ukraine, and why they have been halted:

Air defence

Given the relentless air attacks from Russian forces, Washington has been sending Kyiv increasingly sophisticated air defence materiel, notably including three Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries. European allies have also provided such systems to Ukraine.

Other defence systems on the US list included 12 ground-based Nasams as well as Hawk systems and munitions, and more than 3,000 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.

To improve their effectiveness, 21 air surveillance radars were provided, along with equipment that integrates western launchers and missiles to Ukraine’s systems.

Missiles, mortars

Washington has sent more than 200 155mm howitzers along with 3m corresponding artillery rounds, 72 105mm howitzers and 1m rounds, and upwards of 700,000 mortars.

More than 40 Himars, rocket launchers mounted on light armoured vehicles, were delivered with the corresponding ammunition.

Washington also gave Ukraine more than 10,000 Javelins, anti-tank missiles that became symbols of Ukrainian resistance against the Russian invasion in the first weeks of the war.

More than 120,000 other anti-vehicle weapons were delivered, as well as 10,000 Tow anti-tank missiles.

For smaller weapons, more than 500m rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades were supplied to Ukrainian soldiers.

Tanks, helicopters, boats and drones

The Pentagon had so far refused to send its combat aircraft directly to Kyiv, but the Biden administration did provide 20 Soviet-designed Mi-17 military helicopters. It also delivered several different models of drones.

And after lengthy Biden administration delays, Washington delivered a total of 31 Abrams, the most advanced US heavy tanks, beginning in January 2023. Forty-five Soviet-designed T-72B tanks were also sent.

The state department list also includes 300 Bradley fighting vehicles, 1,300 armoured personnel carriers, more than 5,000 Humvee military vehicles and 300 armoured ambulances.

Washington provided more than 100 patrol boats, coastal defence systems, Claymore mines, satellite communication systems, night vision goggles and more than 100,000 sets of body armour.

After 20 January?

The above figures date from 20 January, in the final hours of the Biden administration.

Since Trump took office later that day, Washington had continued to deliver to Ukraine what a US defence official called “critical munitions” approved by the previous administration, including anti-tank weapons and artillery rounds.

Why did Trump pause the aid?

The White House has framed Trump’s Ukraine policy as focused on achieving a lasting “peace” but the president has initially focused on pressuring the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, into signing a deal under which the invaded country would hand over mineral wealth to the US.

Trump’s shaky relationship with Zelenksyy – who says he is willing to sign the mineral deal but only in return for security guarantees from Washington – reached a low point on Friday during a heated Oval Office argument in which the US vice-president, JD Vance, accused Zelenskyy of not being “thankful”.

Three days later, Trump paused the aid.

Agence France-Presse contributed to this report

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