Trump suspends Ukraine military aid after White House showdown
Ukrainian soldiers fire artillery in the direction of Chasiv Yar in January.Wolfgang Schwan / Anadolu via Getty Images file
The Trump administration has paused military aid to Ukraine following last week’s highly publicized Oval Office confrontation between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to U.S. officials.
A White House representative confirmed the decision on Monday, stating, “The president 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.”
The move follows a tense meeting on Friday in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized Zelenskyy for not showing sufficient gratitude for the $65.9 billion in U.S. military assistance provided since Russia’s 2022 invasion.
Trump later wrote on Truth Social that Zelenskyy had “disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office” and accused him of “overplaying his hand” by pushing for continued military support instead of seeking peace.
In the weeks leading up to the meeting, Trump had controversially claimed that Ukraine bore responsibility for Russia’s invasion, arguing that Kyiv could have negotiated a deal to prevent the conflict. He also referred to Zelenskyy as a “dictator” after the Ukrainian leader suggested Trump was influenced by Russian disinformation.
Despite the aid freeze, Zelenskyy expressed optimism on Sunday, stating he remains willing to finalize a deal granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare-earth minerals.
He also voiced hope that relations between Kyiv and Washington could be repaired following the Oval Office dispute.
