Hegseth Cancels Ukraine Weapons

“Right hand needs to know what the left hand is doing.” A variation of an old idiom.

Wheat Supports Ukraine's Economy

War is Deadly

Any army wanting to win a war needs to have every part of their operation, intelligence, soldiers, weapons, armory, air support, logistics, leadership, and economy, all functioning optimally. The war between Russia and Ukraine, not including the annexation of Crimea in 2014, has been fought from February 24, 2022. When it will end is anybody’s guess.

Population & Resources

At the start of the war Ukraine had a population of about 41 million, Russia 146 million. Russia’s land size is massive; Ukraine is only 3.5% of land area compared to Russia.

Russia’s economy has raw materials in abundance bringing in foreign exchange. Russia's economy is heavily reliant on its vast natural resources, making mineral fuels and energy products its primary exports. These include:

• Crude oil

• Refined petroleum products (like gasoline and diesel)

• Natural gas

• Coal

Beyond energy, other significant Russian exports include:

• Metals (such as iron, steel, aluminum, copper, nickel, and precious metals like gold and platinum)

• Fertilizers (especially nitrogen-based fertilizers)

• Cereals (particularly wheat)

• Wood and timber products

• Chemical products

• Armaments

These commodities collectively account for a substantial portion of Russia's total export revenue. It exports to China, India and the European Union, among others.

Ukraine's economy, particularly its exports, is heavily dominated by its agricultural sector and natural resources. Its main exports:

• Agricultural Products (especially Cereals and Oils): This is by far Ukraine's largest export category.² Key items include: corn, sunflower oil, wheat, rapeseed, soybeans, animal and vegetable fats and oils, and animal fodder.

• Metals and Metal Products: iron and steel, iron ore, other ores, slag and ash, and iron and steel products.

• Machinery, Equipment, and Transport: This category includes various types of industrial and electrical machinery, and transport equipment.

• Wood and Wood Articles: Timber and processed wood products.

Before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine was also known for exporting a significant amount of chemicals, but this sector has been heavily attacked. The country also has a growing IT services sector, which contributes to its service exports.

Ukraine's main export partners typically include countries in the European Union (such as Poland, Romania, Spain, Germany, and Italy), as well as Turkey and China. The ongoing conflict has significantly impacted export volumes and routes, particularly for maritime shipments, leading to shifts in trade patterns and a greater reliance on overland routes and the Black Sea grain corridor.

Comparing Armaments

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine inherited the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal. Ukraine officially agreed to give up its nuclear weapons and accede to the "Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons" (NPT) as a non-nuclear weapon state on December 5, 1994. This was formalized through the signing of the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances by Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

The actual transfer of all nuclear warheads from Ukraine to Russia for dismantlement was completed by June 1, 1996. The last strategic nuclear delivery vehicle in Ukraine was eliminated in 2001.

Russia gave up nothing in terms of nuclear weapons.

Putin’s Greed

It is all about Putin’s dream to restore the old USSR. If he succeeds in overpowering Ukraine, he will go after the other satellite countries that once made up the USSR. Without Ukraine’s nuclear arsenal to worry about, Putin had little fear in his invasion turning nuclear.

 

Pete Hegseth – Secretary of Defense

Appointed by President Trump, Hegseth is a military veteran and former Fox host. His controversial appointment drew heavy criticism.

Pete Hegseth reportedly authorized a pause in weapons shipments to Ukraine without informing the White House, according to five sources familiar with the situation. It caused confusion within the administration. This decision, was the second such unilateral action by Hegseth, leading many senior national security officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the U.S. special envoy to Ukraine, stunned.

The reason for the halt was concern over low U.S. weapons stockpiles, potentially to cover Israel in their military campaign. However, President Trump denied knowledge of who ordered the pause, and later reversed the decision, ordering the resumption of military aid to Ukraine, including Patriot missiles. A Pentagon spokesperson, Kingsley Wilson, stated that Hegseth's actions were part of a coordinated effort to evaluate military aid and assess existing stockpiles, and that President Trump has full confidence in the Defense Secretary.

Ukraine Holds Russia Back

In 2022 Putin called his invasion “a little military exercise.” In 2025 it is not a little military exercise but a full-scale war. It is due to the support of the free world, especially the military support in weaponry from the United States. The European Union and other European countries have provided 132 billion euros in military, financial, and humanitarian aid since the start of the war.

Pete Hegseth’s mistake, a mistake he should have been fired for, could have been disastrous for Ukraine up against Russia’s war machine and the power of its economy.