Following his tumultuous confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump has ordered a pause on U.S. aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia.
“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 stated Monday evening. “We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.”
This pause halts all military aid not yet in Ukraine, including munitions and anti-tank weapons, stopping supplies sent since Russia’s invasion three years ago. Trump inherited nearly $4 billion in authorized funding from Congress, but it now appears unlikely to be used. It’s unclear how or if the money will be redirected.
Trump’s move is set to pressure Zelensky to mend relations with the U.S. or risk losing ground in the ongoing war. As of fiscal 2024, Congress had approved nearly $183 billion in Ukraine support, with the European Union contributing around $145 billion.
Trump, who campaigned to end the war, recently clashed with Zelensky in a now-viral Oval Office meeting last week, during which Trump accused Zelensky of being “not ready for peace.” The U.S. leader called off peace talks and left a minerals deal unsigned. However, Trump later implied that discussions could resume if Zelensky showed appreciation for U.S. support. Additionally, Zelensky told Fox News that he would not apologize to Trump, as he didn’t believe he did anything wrong during the meeting.
