Delays in U.S. military aid in 2024, driven by congressional gridlock and internal debates over escalation risks with Russia, left Ukrainian units struggling to sustain their defenses.
According to a Reuters investigation, shipments of critical military equipment were held up not only by partisan battles in Washington but also by concerns over U.S. stockpile levels and a chaotic weapons-tracking system. The slowdown in arms deliveries coincided with increasing Russian territorial gains, though analysts caution against drawing a direct link between the delays and Ukraine’s battlefield setbacks.
For frontline Ukrainian commanders, the delays had dire consequences. Tyson, a battalion commander stationed in the eastern region, described the challenge of evacuating the wounded without enough armored vehicles. “When we didn’t make it in time, they died,” he said.
Shortages of ammunition and vehicles were widely reported. Soldiers in Ukraine’s 33rd Separate Mechanized Brigade recalled battles in Avdiivka where they were outgunned and outnumbered. “What is 10 mortar shells for 24 hours? It’s nothing,” said a serviceman known as Beekeeper.
Ukrainian officials had warned Washington about their dwindling supplies. By early December 2024, only 30% of promised U.S. armored vehicles had arrived, according to congressional aides and U.S. officials.
While congressional opposition from former President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers stalled a $60 billion Ukraine aid package for months, the slowdown continued even after the funding was approved in April 2024. The Biden administration’s aid announcements in the latter half of the year were framed as a surge, but a Reuters analysis found that the average monthly shipments only returned to pre-2024 levels.
Internal disagreements within the Biden administration further complicated the process. Concerns over escalation led to restrictions on Ukraine’s ability to use U.S. weapons to strike inside Russia. Some officials, including National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, pushed for immediate shipments, even diverting air defense systems from other U.S. allies to Ukraine. Others, including Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, worried about depleting American stockpiles and provoking a response from Moscow.
By September 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his advisers were pressing Washington for more aggressive weaponry. They requested long-range missiles to target Russian military assets and permission to strike deeper inside Russia. While some restrictions were eased, Biden resisted fully lifting limits on Ukraine’s use of U.S. weapons.
As aid delays continued, Russia made steady territorial advances. By the end of 2024, Russian forces were capturing an average of 20 square kilometers per day—nearly the size of Manhattan every three days—according to the Institute for the Study of War.
Analysts remain divided on whether the delays in U.S. assistance directly contributed to these losses. Some argue that Ukraine’s challenges, including manpower shortages and strategic missteps, were more decisive factors. “Wars are never entirely won or lost by aid packages,” said Seth Jones, a defense analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
However, others, including Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandra Ustinova, argue that delayed aid deliveries prevented Ukraine from mounting successful counteroffensives. “Every time we’re asking for something, it comes six, nine months later, when the war has already changed,” she said.
With Trump returning to the White House in 2025, Ukraine’s access to U.S. military aid is in jeopardy. The former president has repeatedly signaled his intent to cut support for Kyiv, refusing to say whether he wanted Ukraine to win the war. His Ukraine envoy, Gen. Keith Kellogg, suggested that weapons shipments could be used as leverage in negotiations with Russia.
In his first week in office, Trump froze foreign aid to multiple countries, including Ukraine. His administration’s long-term stance remains unclear, but many in Kyiv fear that support from Washington may dry up entirely.
As U.S. officials debated and delayed, Ukrainian troops faced worsening conditions. A soldier named Leonid, stationed in eastern Ukraine, described the strain on the frontlines. “They’re holding on; there’s no other choice,” he said.
For many Ukrainians, the future remains uncertain. Zelenskiy’s government has pushed for a long-term strategy to secure military assistance, but with shifting U.S. politics, the stability of American aid remains in question.
“If we have the same level of support, we’re going to be dead in eight, nine months,” Ustinova said.