U.S. to reduce budget for weapons supplies to Ukraine in 2026 - Pentagon chief

WASHINGTON. June 11 (Interfax) - Washington intends to cut its budget for the purchases of weapons for Kiev in 2026, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said.

"It is a reduction in this budget," he said at a hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday, while answering questions from lawmakers about future weapons supplies to Ukraine.

"This administration takes a very different view of that conflict," Hegseth said.

"We believe that a negotiated peaceful settlement is in the best interest of both parties and our nation's interests especially with all the competing interests around the globe," the Pentagon chief said.

The U.S. has provided more than $66 billion in military aid to Ukraine since February 2022.