On Monday, President Donald Trump ordered a temporary suspension of US military assistance to Ukraine, aiming to push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into negotiations to bring the war with Russia to a close, reports AP.
This decision follows a tense Oval Office meeting last week, where Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticised Zelenskyy for what they saw as a lack of appreciation for the more than $180 billion in military aid the US has provided since Russia’s invasion three years ago.
A White House official stated that Trump’s priority is securing a peace agreement and that he expects Zelenskyy to be fully committed to this objective. The official further explained that aid was being “paused and reviewed” to ensure it serves a constructive purpose. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official confirmed that this measure will remain in place until Trump determines Ukraine has demonstrated a firm commitment to peace talks with Russia.
This suspension of military support echoes Trump’s earlier move five years ago when he withheld congressionally approved aid to Ukraine while attempting to pressure Zelenskyy into opening an investigation into then-presidential candidate Joe Biden—an episode that led to Trump’s first impeachment.
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During his 2024 campaign, Trump promised to bring the war in Ukraine to a swift resolution, at times even claiming he could accomplish this within a day. He has increasingly expressed frustration with Zelenskyy’s handling of the war while maintaining his belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he has long admired, can be relied upon to uphold a truce if one is reached.
Earlier on Monday, Trump rebuked Zelenskyy for suggesting that the war’s end remains “very, very far away.” Zelenskyy had made the remark while trying to frame the US-Ukraine relationship in a positive light following last week’s White House meeting.
“This is the worst possible statement from Zelenskyy, and America won’t tolerate it much longer!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform in response to Zelenskyy’s Sunday night comments to reporters.
Later in the day, during a White House event, Trump referenced Zelenskyy’s remarks, warning that the Ukrainian leader “better not be right about that.”
Zelenskyy later took to social media to clarify his stance. While he did not directly address Trump’s criticism, he emphasised the importance of pursuing meaningful diplomacy to bring the war to an end as soon as possible.
“We need real peace, and no one wants it more than Ukrainians because the war is devastating our cities and towns,” Zelenskyy stated. “We are losing our people. We must stop this war and ensure security.”
Last week’s discussions between Trump administration officials and Ukrainian representatives were expected to finalise an agreement allowing the US access to Ukraine’s critical mineral resources as partial repayment for the extensive military aid provided since the war began. The White House had promoted the agreement as a long-term effort to strengthen US-Ukraine relations.
Ukrainians back Zelenskyy as defender after Oval incident
During an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News Monday evening, Vice President Vance criticised European allies for failing to push Zelenskyy toward a resolution.
“Too many of our European friends encourage him,” Vance said. “They tell him he’s a freedom fighter, that he should keep fighting indefinitely. But fight indefinitely with what? With whose money, whose weapons, and whose lives?”
Democrats strongly condemned Trump’s decision to halt aid, calling it reckless and dangerous.
Representative Brendan Boyle, a Pennsylvania Democrat and co-chair of the Congressional EU Caucus, described the move as “reckless, indefensible, and a direct threat to our national security.”
Since the war’s outset, the Biden administration had provided over $66.5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, with approximately $3.85 billion in approved funding still available for additional weapons shipments. This remaining sum had not been affected by the broader foreign aid freeze imposed by Trump upon taking office.
“This aid was passed by Congress with bipartisan support—both Republicans and Democrats understood that standing with Ukraine means standing for democracy and against Putin’s aggression,” Boyle said in a statement. “Yet Trump, who has repeatedly praised Putin and undermined our allies, is now using critical military support as a political bargaining chip.”
Representative Dan Goldman, a Democrat who previously served as counsel in Trump’s first impeachment inquiry, characterised the aid suspension as “another extortion” of Zelenskyy.
“This is the opposite of peace through strength,” Goldman stated. “Instead, it’s yet another attempt to strong-arm Zelenskyy by unlawfully withholding aid to force him into a minerals deal.”
Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, said Zelenskyy’s stance during last Friday’s Oval Office talks raised doubts about whether the US could continue working with him.
“The key question is: Is he personally and politically ready to guide his country toward ending the conflict?” Waltz said Monday on Fox News’ America’s Newsroom. “And is he willing to make the necessary compromises?”
Concerns over the future of US-Ukraine relations have been compounded by remarks from prominent Trump allies, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator Lindsey Graham, suggesting that the relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy is increasingly untenable.
Angela Stent, a former national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia, noted that Putin is unlikely to rush into peace talks while divisions between Trump and Zelenskyy, as well as between the US and Europe, persist.
“Putin believes Russia is winning,” said Stent, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. “And he thinks that over time, divisions in the West will only deepen.”
Despite the aid suspension, Trump indicated on Monday that he still sees potential in the economic agreement with Ukraine, describing it as “a great deal.” He added that he intends to discuss the matter further during his Tuesday address to Congress.
Meanwhile, Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Pennsylvania and co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said he spoke with Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, on Monday about resuming talks on the minerals deal.
Key Republican senators had also expressed optimism about restoring US-Ukraine relations before the aid suspension was announced.
“We need to bring down the tension,” said Senator Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, “and work toward an agreement that benefits both the US economy and the Ukrainian people.”
Senator Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican and Trump ally, said he believes both Trump and Zelenskyy can “move forward.”
“Finalising the minerals deal is the first step,” Mullin said. “After that, Zelenskyy has to be realistic about what a peace agreement looks like.”