Trump ordered a pause of US military aid to Ukraine: Reports
3 Min Read
A Pentagon official told Western media that Trump has signed an order to pause aid to Ukraine following a heated exchange with Zelensky.
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United States President Donald Trump, right, meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House, on February 28, 2025, in Washington, the United States. (AP)
United States President Donald Trump has ordered a pause to military aid to Ukraine, including shipments in transit areas in Poland, a senior Defense Department official told Bloomberg.
The pause will take effect until the Trump administration determines that Ukrainian leaders "demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace," the agency reported, citing the American official.
All US military equipment not currently in Ukraine would be paused. This includes shipments of weapons and equipment in transit areas in Poland.
At least 30% of the weapons used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces are supplied by the US, which has given Kiev around $69 billion in military aid between the start of 2022 and the end of 2024.
The US supplies Ukraine with crucial weaponry, enabling its military to sustain operations and resist advancing Russian forces. This includes artillery, shells, small arms, anti-tank weapons, vehicles, armored vehicles, tanks, air defenses, advanced rocket artillery systems, and ballistic missile systems.
Trump issued the order following a heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. Zelensky had been invited to the White House to discuss a potential peace deal with Russia and bilateral agreements with the US. However, the meeting was abruptly cut short after a tense confrontation, with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance clashing with Zelensky before he was asked to leave.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Zelensky's statements at the White House have shown that Kiev does not want peace and is not ready for negotiations.
"In this situation, of course, only Washington's efforts and Moscow's readiness will obviously not be enough," Peskov asserted.
Peskov emphasized during a news briefing that the situation with the Ukrainian conflict is "not easy", noting that any constructive initiatives are needed today to resolve the conflict, while adding that there are "some first outlines of such eventual peace plans. Although there is no reason to say that there is any coherent, detailed peace plan on the agenda yet."
Trump's assumption of power in the US has led to a sharp change in Washington's stance on the Ukraine-Russia conflict. His administration has prioritized diplomatic negotiations with Russia over the continuation of the conflict, signaling a shift away from the previous government's staunch support for Kiev. This policy change has sparked concern among Europeans, who fear it could severely weaken Ukraine's position.
Read more: Trump 'deliberately escalated' argument with Zelensky: Merz
