Trump halts military aid to Ukraine after clash with Zelenskyy

United States President Donald Trump has ordered the suspension of U.S. assistance to Ukraine as he seeks to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to engage in negotiations to end the war with Russia. This comes after Trump upbraided Zelenskyy for being insufficiently grateful for United States’ backing. “President Trump has been clear that he is […]

United States President Donald Trump has ordered the suspension of U.S. assistance to Ukraine as he seeks to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to engage in negotiations to end the war with Russia.

This comes after Trump upbraided Zelenskyy for being insufficiently grateful for United States’ backing.

“President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution,” a U.S. official said.

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Kyiv still had the means to supply its frontline forces.

U.S. military aid was precious and saving thousands of lives, he said, and Kyiv would do all it could to maintain relations with Washington.

Shmyhal told a press conference: “We will continue to work with the U.S. through all available channels in a calm manner.

“We only have one plan – to win and to survive. Either we win, or the plan B will be written by someone else.”

The Kremlin, for its part, said cutting off military aid to Ukraine was the best possible step towards peace, although it was still waiting to confirm Trump’s move.

Military experts say it could take time for the impact of missing U.S. aid to be felt on the battlefield.

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When U.S. assistance was held up for several months last year by Republicans in Congress, the most notable initial impact was shortages of air defences to shoot down incoming Russian missiles and drones. Later, Ukrainian forces in the east complained of shortages of ammunition, including for artillery.

The pause puts more pressure on European allies, led by Britain and France, whose leaders both visited the White House last week and have publicly embraced Zelenskyy since the Oval Office blow-up, Reuters reported.

Europeans are racing to boost their own military spending and provide alternative support for Kyiv, including a plan to put troops on the ground to support any ceasefire, though they say they still need some form of U.S. support.

Since Russia’s invasion three years ago, the U.S. Congress has approved $175 billion in total assistance for Ukraine, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

Trump’s administration inherited $3.85 billion worth of Congressionally approved authority to dip into U.S. arms stocks for Ukraine.

Monday’s move also appeared to halt deliveries of military equipment approved by former President Joe Biden, including munitions, missiles, and other systems.

Zelenskyy has made clear that a ceasefire must carry explicit security guarantees from the West to ensure that Russia, which holds about 20% of Ukraine’s land, does not attack again. Trump has so far refused to give any such guarantees.