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Trump Suspends Military Aid to Ukraine Following Dispute with Zelenskyy
(TJV) U.S. President Donald Trump has halted all military aid to Ukraine after a heated confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, a White House official said Monday.
“The president has been clear that his focus is on peace. We need our partners to share that commitment. As a result, we are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure it is contributing to a resolution,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Zelenskyy’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside business hours.
The decision follows Trump’s broader shift in U.S. policy toward Ukraine and Russia since taking office in January, adopting a more conciliatory approach toward Moscow. It also comes after a tense exchange at the White House on Friday, during which Trump accused Zelenskyy of not showing enough gratitude for Washington’s support in Ukraine’s war against Russia.
On Monday, Trump reiterated his frustration, saying Zelenskyy should be more appreciative of American aid. He was reacting to an Associated Press report in which Zelenskyy was quoted as saying that the war’s end remains “very, very far away.”
“This is the worst statement Zelenskyy could have made, and America will not tolerate it much longer!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Despite his frustration, Trump signaled that negotiations over a U.S. investment deal in Ukraine’s mineral resources were still on the table. His administration views such a deal as a way for the U.S. to recoup some of the tens of billions of dollars it has provided to Ukraine in military and financial aid since Russia’s invasion three years ago.
When asked Monday if the deal was off, Trump responded, “No, I don’t think so.” He described the agreement as a “great deal for us” and said he would provide an update during his address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night.
