The News Hour has learned that the United States is holding back weapons that the Biden administration and the last Congress marked for Ukraine.

This comes as Russia has made territorial gains in Ukraine in recent days and blasted the country with unrelenting drone and missile attacks.

Nick Schifrin is here now with more.

So Nick, tell us what you've learned about these weapons that were scheduled to go to Ukraine. The Trump administration has halted weapons that Ukraine

was scheduled to receive that, as you said, Amna, were appropriated by last terms Congress and

authorized by the Biden administration. The list includes these weapons, Patriot Air Defense

missiles, 155 millimeter artillery rounds, Gimler missiles,

those are fired by a multiple launch rocket system, surface-to-air stinger missiles, and missiles

and missiles fired by jets, known as Aim 7, and Hellfire missiles. Tonight, Deputy White

House Press Secretary Anna Kelly tells me, quote, this decision was made to put America's interests

first following the Department of Defense review of our nation's military support and assistance

to other countries across the globe. The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains

unquestioned. Just ask Iran. A separate U.S. official tells me that this decision was based on a Department of Defense

Readiness Review, meaning that officials believe that sending these weapons to Ukraine

would reduce the U.S.'s ability to be ready for any contingency, of course, especially China.

So in terms of real world impacts from the cutting off of these weapons, what do we know?

What could be the impact?

I've been asking Ukrainian officials to respond to this since last night, and they've all declined.

But they've made clear over time that they especially need air defense missiles.

Patriots alongside other air defense are used to defend key Ukrainian sites, as well as its population, and cities

from what is daily attack by Russia.

In fact, Ukraine says Russia launched more than 5,400 drone attacks in June.

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