Talks with Ukrainian delegation in Washington, DC thrown into uncertainty as federal workers asked to stay at home

Cameron Henderson.  

Joe Barnes Brussels Correspondent

02 October 2025

Ukraine has warned American weapon shipments could be delayed in reaching the battlefield because of the US government shutdown.

Discussions about US military support for Kyiv were frozen after the government shut down on Wednesday.

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers were furloughed after Democrats and Republicans failed to reach an agreement on government spending, leaving talks over a possible drone agreement in limbo, a Ukrainian government source told The Telegraph.

Aid groups have warned Ukraine is facing “massive attacks” from Russia of an “unprecedented intensity” amid the US government shutdown.

A Ukrainian delegation flew into Washington, DC on Tuesday for meetings with White House officials to craft an agreement on sharing drone technology, where Kyiv has world-leading expertise, in exchange for US royalties, The Wall Street Journal first reported.

However, talks have been thrown into uncertainty as a result of the shutdown, with federal workers asked to stay at home.

‘All future projects harmed’

“I don’t see how they will continue,” a Ukrainian government source told The Telegraph.

“The main concern is we have a lot of discussions ongoing about future shipments [of weapons],” they said.

“All future projects are a little bit harmed because people from the Pentagon, State Department and White House are not meeting and we lose the time because of this shutdown.”

The source added that “other Ukrainian delegations who were supposed to come in the coming weeks are now reviewing their plans”.

The prospective drone agreement, which could be worth billions of dollars, has the support of Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky and would mark a significant turning point in the security relationship between Washington and Kyiv.

The US signed a $500m aid package for Ukraine last month, the first since Mr Trump returned to office, using funds from Nato countries. It is not clear if these shipments will be affected by the shutdown.

Last week, Mr Trump performed a sharp about-turn in his stance towards Ukraine, saying Kyiv was in a position to take back all its land from Russian forces.

Trump’s attitude to Ukraine is changing – in interviews and on social media

Jan. 31

“We want to end that war. That war would have not started if I was president.”

Feb. 19

“A Dictator without Elections, Zelensky better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left.”

Feb. 28

“You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country [the United States] that’s backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have.”

March 30

“I don’t think he’s going to go back on his word. You’re talking about Putin. I don’t think he’s going to go back on his word. I’ve known him for a long time. We’ve always gotten along well.”

April 24

“I am not happy with the Russian strikes on Kyiv. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”

April 29

“A lot of his people are dying. They’re being killed, and I feel very badly about it.”

May 25

“I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!”

June 25

“[Zelensky] was very nice actually. We had a little rough times, sometimes. He was … Couldn’t have been nicer. I think he’d like to see an end to this, I do.”

July 8

“We get a lot of bull***t thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth. He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”

July 13

“I am very disappointed with President Putin, I thought he was somebody that meant what he said. He’ll talk so beautifully and then he’ll bomb people at night. We don’t like that.”

July 14

“I don’t want to say [Putin’s] an assassin, but he’s a tough guy. It’s been proven over the years. He’s fooled a lot of people before.”

Aug. 15

“There’s no deal until there’s a deal.”

Sept. 23

“Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win. This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger’. ”

The comments, which followed a meeting with Mr Zelensky on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, marked a stark departure from his previous insistence that Ukraine should give up territory to Russia to end the war.

In the same meeting, Mr Zelensky requested the US supply Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles to help bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, The Telegraph revealed.

JD Vance, the vice-president, has since said that the White House is “looking at” the idea, while Keith Kellogg, the president’s envoy to Ukraine, suggested that the high-tech weapons system could be used to strike deep inside Russia.

“I think reading what he [Trump] has said, and reading what vice-president Vance has said … the answer is yes. Use the ability to hit deep. There are no such things as sanctuaries,” the former general told Fox.

The cancelling of talks between Ukrainian and US officials will raise fears that the recent warming of relations could be thwarted as Kyiv continues to incur devastating losses on the battlefield.

Yuriy Boyechko, the chief executive of Hope for Ukraine, said: “Right now, we are seeing Russian attacks on Ukraine with unprecedented intensity, and Ukraine needs a constant supply of new weapons in order to repel these massive attacks.

“While Putin escalates his war on Ukraine and European nations, this government shutdown sends a very bad signal that could undermine European security, as both Europe and Ukraine heavily rely on American weapons to defend against Russian aggression.”