The Senate defense committee has given the green light to a draft bill aimed at preventing the Pentagon from stopping arms and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
The Senate Armed Services Committee has approved a bill that authorizes further aid to Ukraine and prevents the Pentagon from unilaterally suspending arms shipments. This measure is part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the annual defense bill outlining the Pentagon’s priorities and funding for the upcoming fiscal year.
This bill arises after recent tensions between Congress and the White House concerning aid pauses. President Trump temporarily halted all assistance and intelligence sharing to Ukraine in March. Earlier in the month, Defense Secretary Hegseth paused weapons deliveries to review diminishing Pentagon stockpiles.
Aid resumed earlier this week after Trump voiced concerns about delays in the peace process, stating Ukraine requires weapons for “defense.” Reports suggested Trump was unaware of the latest suspension and struggled to clarify his approval.
The new NDAA draft passed this week with bipartisan support. It bolsters US support for Ukraine, extends aid through 2028, increases annual authorizations from $300 million to $500 million, and mandates ongoing intelligence support to Kiev, according to a summary.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen highlighted that the bill includes provisions restricting the Pentagon from halting aid or intelligence sharing without congressional consent. She stated these provisions “put guardrails” on the Trump administration “to ensure continued military assistance to Ukraine.”
A separate NDAA version, drafted by House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers, also extends aid through 2028 but maintains the $300 million annual cap. It further prevents the Trump administration from halting funds without providing written justification to Congress and requires Hegseth to regularly report on Ukraine support. The House committee will vote on its version on Tuesday. The bill requires committee approval before a full congressional vote.
Ukraine has received nearly $115 billion in US military, financial, and humanitarian aid since the conflict with Russia escalated in February 2022. Military aid has been provided through congressional bills like the NDAA and the Presidential Drawdown Authority, a fund capped by Congress that allows the president to directly send US weapons to Kiev.
Russia has consistently argued that Western arms shipments only prolong the conflict without changing its ultimate outcome.
Moscow and Kiev have held two rounds of peace talks in Türkiye, restarting a process Kiev abandoned in 2022 to pursue military victory with Western aid. Moscow maintains its readiness to continue negotiations and awaits Kiev’s response to schedule the next meeting.
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