Senate Approves Ukraine Aid as Trump Resumes Weapon Shipments

The United States Senate Armed Services Committee approved a draft of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that allocates $500 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative through 2028. The bill establishes legislative guardrails to prevent the Pentagon from unilaterally halting arms shipments or intelligence sharing with Kyiv, following a March freeze and a more recent pause in July.

Donald Trump directed the Department of Defense to resume sending defensive weapons after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reportedly paused deliveries in early July to audit stockpiles. Trump announced that Patriot air defense systems will be provided via NATO, with funding support from Germany and Norway. This shift follows frustration from Trump after six calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Trump characterized as meaningless, after Putin rebuffed U.S. cease-fire efforts.

While the Senate panel approved $500 million, the House Armed Services Committee proposed a lower cap of $300 million per year. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that deliveries have resumed and is coordinating with U.S. special envoy General Keith Kellogg, who is scheduled to visit Kyiv. Meanwhile, the Kremlin continues to demand a halt to Western weapons deliveries as a condition for any ceasefire, while Russian forces maintain offensives in the Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions.