US terminates USAID program for Kiev, hesitates on minerals deal
3 Min Read
The United States has uncovered a number of destructive measures for Kiev amid rising tensions between Zelensky and Trump.
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Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, as President Donald Trump listens in the Oval Office at the White House, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington. (AP)
The US State Department has halted a major USAID program worth hundreds of millions of dollars intended to help rebuild Ukraine’s energy grid, NBC News reported on Friday, citing two agency officials. The decision comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Kiev following a failed high-level meeting at the White House.
On Friday, discussions between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump over a potential peace deal ended abruptly after a dispute in the Oval Office. Senior Trump administration officials reportedly asked the Ukrainian delegation to leave and canceled a planned joint press conference.
This move, according to a USAID official, "significantly undercuts this administration’s abilities to negotiate on the ceasefire, and it’d signal to Russia that we don’t care about Ukraine or our past investments."
Meanwhile, uncertainty looms over the future of a key minerals deal between the US and Ukraine. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Bloomberg on Friday that it remains unclear whether the agreement will be revived.
“[Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy and I had an extended, heated negotiation in Kiev, but we were going to get this economic agreement done, but when you bring it out to the public, like this. We'll see if there's any coming back,” Bressner told Bloomberg.
The developments reflect growing strains in US-Ukraine relations as Washington reassesses its commitments to Kiev.
Trump tells Zelensky Ukraine is 'not winning,' warns of US withdrawal
Earlier today, Zelensky and Trump held a televised meeting in the Oval Office, which rapidly spun into a public disagreement. Trump delivered a stark message to Zelensky, asserting that Ukraine is "in big trouble" and "not winning" the ongoing conflict with Russia.
"Your country is in big trouble. I know you're not winning. You're not winning this," Trump told Zelensky, signaling his dissatisfaction with Ukraine's current strategic position.
Trump cautioned Zelensky against dictating terms to Washington, emphasizing that the US was seeking a resolution to the conflict. "We're trying to solve a problem. Don't tell us what we're going to feel, because you're in no position to dictate that. You're in no position to dictate what we're going to feel," Trump stated firmly.
The US president also expressed his frustration over what he perceived as a lack of appreciation from Zelensky. "I've empowered you to be a tough guy, and I don't think he'd be a tough guy without the United States... you're not acting at all thankful. And that's not a nice thing," Trump remarked. He warned Zelensky that if no agreement is reached, "you're either going to make a deal or we're out, and if we're out, you'll fight it out. I don't think it's going to be pretty, but you'll fight it out."
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