Government Shutdown in Washington Halts Arms Talks With Kyiv
The Telegraph reports U.S. aid talks with Ukraine are on hold after the shutdown, raising doubts over weapons deliveries and a potential drone technology deal.
The British newspaper The Telegraph reported that the U.S. government shutdown has led Washington to suspend discussions on aid to Ukraine.
According to the publication, Kyiv has already warned that deliveries of American weapons could be delayed due to the halt in government operations. A Ukrainian source told The Telegraph that the shutdown has cast doubt on negotiations concerning a potential agreement on drones.
The day before, The Wall Street Journal wrote that Washington and Kyiv were discussing a deal under which Ukraine would transfer its drone production technologies to the U.S. military. In exchange, Kyiv was expected to receive various forms of compensation.
The U.S. shutdown began on October 1 after Congress failed to approve a government budget, forcing federal agencies to suspend their operations. President Donald Trump stated that he intended to use the shutdown period for large-scale staff cuts and payout reductions. He accused the Democratic Party of blocking the budget agreement that triggered the shutdown and warned he would use the situation to eliminate Democratic programs opposed by Republicans.