Overview

• The U.S. government shutdown has halted defense consultations with Kyiv, potentially delaying arms deliveries and pausing planned talks on exchanging drone production technology.
• The Wall Street Journal reports Washington quietly supported Ukraine’s domestic drone programs for years, guided by intelligence reviews ordered after the failed 2023 counteroffensive.
• The previous U.S. administration allocated about $1.5 billion for missile and drone programs, including transfers of critical components Ukraine did not produce.
• A Ukrainian delegation traveled to Washington to negotiate drone and defense-industrial agreements, with legal talks slated to begin September 30 and final accords expected to take months.
• Russia denounces Western military support for Kyiv and claims weapons shipments are legitimate targets for its forces.