by Abbey Fenbert at The Kyiv Independent
The United States will reduce funding allocated for military assistance to Ukraine in its upcoming defense budget, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a congressional hearing on June 10.
“It is a reduction in this budget,” Hegseth told lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“This administration takes a very different view of that conflict. 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 not yet released the full documentation regarding its 2026 budget. According to Hegseth, the pending budget “provides a historic level of funding for military readiness, putting (U.S.) warfighters and their needs first.”
Hegseth did not disclose details as to the extent of the funding cuts to Ukraine.
The Pentagon’s announcement follows weeks of intense Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, including record-breaking drone strikes against Kyiv. Amid the escalating aerial assaults, President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the U.S. to support Ukraine with critical air defense systems.
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