U.S. President Donald Trump has suspended military aid to Ukraine, intensifying pressure on Kyiv to engage in peace talks with Russia. A White House official confirmed the decision on Monday, stating that the aid pause is intended to reassess its role in resolving the ongoing war.
This decision follows a tense exchange between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has resisted pressure to negotiate a ceasefire. Trump, who has repeatedly called for a swift end to the conflict, signaled the possibility of halting aid earlier in the day but did not confirm it until later. The sudden move is expected to have significant consequences for Ukraine’s ability to resist Russian forces.
“The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well,” a White House official said. “We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.”
The suspension has drawn immediate backlash from U.S. lawmakers. Congressional Democrats condemned the decision, calling it both dangerous and illegal. Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, urged his Republican colleagues to take a stand, saying, “My Republican colleagues who have called Putin a war criminal and promised their continued support to Ukraine must join me in demanding President Trump immediately lift this disastrous and unlawful freeze.”
Trump has also expressed frustration with Zelensky, stating that the Ukrainian leader should be “more appreciative” of U.S. support. Speaking at the White House, Trump warned that Zelensky “won’t be around very long” without securing a ceasefire deal with Moscow.
The pause on military aid is already in effect, affecting hundreds of millions of dollars in weapon shipments, according to The New York Times. This shift in U.S. policy has raised concerns among Washington’s allies, who fear that the decision could weaken Ukraine’s position and alter the course of the war.
Meanwhile, European nations are exploring alternative strategies. Britain and France are reportedly discussing a temporary one-month ceasefire proposal, which would focus on halting hostilities in the air, at sea, and on energy infrastructure. However, Zelensky remains skeptical, stating that an agreement to end the war is still far from being reached.
Zelensky has reiterated the need for strong security guarantees to prevent future conflicts, recalling past failures that led to Russia’s occupation of Crimea and the war in Donbas. “It was the lack of security guarantees for Ukraine 11 years ago that allowed Russia to start with the occupation of Crimea and the war in Donbas, then the lack of security guarantees allowed Russia to launch a full-scale invasion,” he said.
Russia has dismissed Zelensky’s concerns, accusing him of avoiding peace talks. The Kremlin also blamed him for the heated exchange with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating, “He doesn’t want peace.”
