Donald Trump Jr., son of the US president-elect, suggested on social media that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may soon face a significant reduction in aid from the United States.

During his campaign, Donald Trump criticized Zelensky's relationship with the Biden administration, labeling him "the greatest salesman in history" for securing billions in aid from President Joe Biden's administration.

The US has since the outbreak of the war in 2022 been Ukraine's largest donor, with Congress allocating over tens of billions of dollars in military and humanitarian aid. Moscow has consistently condemned this support, arguing that it prolongs the conflict and will not alter the outcome.

On Saturday, Trump Jr. posted a video to Instagram featuring Zelensky alongside the president-elect, captioned, "POV: You're 38 Days from losing your allowance." The video, displaying dollar bills raining down on Zelensky, appeared to reinforce Trump's campaign stance on recalibrating US support for Ukraine.

Throughout his campaign, the president-elect pledged to end the Ukraine war within "24 hours," though he has yet to share a detailed plan. He has indicated, however, that his approach would include pressuring Zelensky to negotiate with Russia by limiting aid, stating that he would tell Zelensky, "No more. You got to make a deal." Trump has also suggested leveraging continued aid to compel Russia to the negotiating table.

Trump assessing strategies

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Trump's team was considering strategies that may include Ukraine agreeing to suspend its NATO aspirations for up to 20 years and freezing the current front lines. Washington would continue to provide arms to Kiev to maintain its defenses, though European allies may need to assume a larger share of financial support, according to Bloomberg.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed interest in a comprehensive resolution but noted Moscow's openness to negotiations. Zelensky, however, has repeatedly ruled out any territorial concessions to Russia.

Reports from Ukrainian officials and European sources suggest growing unease about the impact of Trump's policies. The Financial Times noted that Ukrainian defense officials fear potential cuts to US military support while European leaders assess whether the EU may have to assume a greater financial role if the US reduces its involvement.