Ukraine-Russia war latest: US halts weapons shipments after Macron holds first Putin phone call since 2022

Russian president Vladimir Putin had a “substantial” phone call with French president Emmanuel Macron on the Iran-Israel conflict and Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Tuesday, the first such exchange between the two leaders since September 2022.

In Paris, Mr Macron’s office said the call lasted two hours and that the French leader had called for a ceasefire in Ukraine and the start of negotiations on ending the conflict.

A French diplomatic source said Mr Macron had talked to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky before and after his call with Putin to brief him on the talks. Macron also talked to US president Donald Trump about the exchange.

The Pentagon has halted some shipments of air defense missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine over concerns that US stockpiles are too low, two people familiar with the decision said on Tuesday.

The slowing of some weapons shipments promised to Kyiv by former president Joe Biden’s administration came in recent days, they said, adding that air defense interceptors to help knock down Russian drones and projectiles are among the items delayed.

In an email, the Pentagon said it was providing president Donald Trump with options to continue military aid to Ukraine in line with the goal of ending Russia’s war there.

“At the same time, the department is rigorously examining and adapting its approach to achieving this objective while also preserving US forces’ readiness for administration defense priorities,” said Elbridge Colby, the undersecretary for policy.