President Trump temporarily suspended all U.S. military aid to Ukraine, affecting over $1 billion in arms. This decision followed a confrontation with Ukrainian President Zelensky at the White House and aims to pressure Ukraine for a good-faith commitment to peace with Russia. The suspension benefits Russia, potentially allowing President Putin to gain territory while the U.S. distances itself from NATO allies who continue to support Ukraine. Trump’s actions mark a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, reflecting his alignment with Putin and a desire for Zelensky to show greater gratitude for U.S. support. Military assistance was previously crucial for Ukraine’s defense.
On Monday, President Trump announced a temporary halt to all U.S. military assistance to Ukraine, according to senior officials from the administration and military. This decision came just days after a heated exchange between Mr. Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.
The suspension impacts more than $1 billion worth of armaments and ammunition that are currently in transit or on order. This resolution stemmed from a series of discussions held on Monday between Mr. Trump and his top national security advisors, with these officials requesting anonymity to address confidential matters.
According to the officials, this directive will remain in effect until Mr. Trump is convinced that Ukraine has made a genuine effort towards peace negotiations with Russia.
Mr. Trump’s recent decision significantly deepens the divide between Washington and Kyiv, especially at a crucial juncture in the ongoing conflict. The primary beneficiary of this move appears to be President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who could use a prolonged suspension of aid to push for more territorial advances. He may also strategically decide to stall any negotiations, as a drawn-out disagreement between Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelensky could further solidify his position, both militarily and in potential cease-fire discussions.
Mr. Trump’s action has few direct parallels in modern American history. While the U.S. has postponed the delivery of specific weapon systems to allied nations — such as President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s temporary suspension of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel over concerns about their use in Gaza — a complete cessation is akin to issuing an ultimatum. It compels Mr. Zelensky to comply with cease-fire conditions dictated by Mr. Trump, or risk incurring greater losses on the battlefield.
Moreover, this suspension places the U.S. at odds with its NATO partners, many of whom, including major European nations like France, Britain, and Germany, have vowed to increase their support for Ukraine in recent days, backing Mr. Zelensky in his conflict with the Trump administration. However, they currently lack the necessary resources to fill the gap swiftly.
The directive, which was initially reported by Bloomberg News, also puts a stop to equipment deliveries from Pentagon reserves under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, a program that allocates funds for Ukraine to procure new military assets directly from U.S. defense contractors. It remains unclear what specific actions would be required from Mr. Zelensky for military assistance to resume.
Recently, Mr. Trump has shown an increasing alignment with Mr. Putin and his portrayal of the Ukraine war, incorrectly asserting that Ukraine instigated the conflict and labeling democratically elected Mr. Zelensky as a “dictator.”
Assertive in his praise for Mr. Putin as “smart” and “cunning,” Mr. Trump has refrained from designating him as a dictator. He has also mentioned how the ongoing investigations regarding Moscow’s interference in the 2016 election have bonded him with Mr. Putin — a claim that American intelligence officials found to be credible.
Tensions between Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelensky escalated publicly on Friday when they were expected to finalize an agreement for Ukraine to relinquish rights to rare minerals as repayment for U.S. military assistance over the past three years. Instead, Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance openly criticized Mr. Zelensky for his perceived lack of gratitude towards U.S. support.
The future of the minerals agreement remains uncertain.
On Monday, Mr. Trump expressed that he did not believe the minerals deal was off the table, describing it as a “great deal for us,” but indicated that he needed to see a certain level of appreciation from Mr. Zelensky to rekindle negotiations.
“I just think he should be more appreciative,” Mr. Trump remarked to reporters.
Earlier that day, Mr. Trump highlighted statements made by Mr. Zelensky over the weekend, where he indicated that a peace deal with Russia was “still very, very far away.”
“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not tolerate it for much longer!” Mr. Trump posted on social media.
On Monday, various members of Mr. Trump’s cabinet continued to imply that Mr. Zelensky was to blame for the diplomatic fallout and asserted he should apologize for the Oval Office encounter.
During an appearance on CNN on Monday, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed that Mr. Zelensky asking for “reparations” and the return of land seized by Russia as part of any agreement was “way too far.”
“You’ve got to say, ‘We love America, we appreciate America, we want you by our side, and if you think we should have peace, we should have peace,’” Mr. Lutnick stated.
“That’s not a peacemaker,” Mr. Lutnick commented on Mr. Zelensky, “that’s a troublemaker.”
He also indicated that Mr. Trump remained committed to facilitating a resolution between Ukraine and Russia, suggesting he would work to bring both parties to the negotiation table.
Following the Oval Office meeting, the Trump administration swiftly began discussions about reducing or cutting military aid, training, and potentially military intelligence support for Ukraine, according to a senior official. As of late Monday, it was unclear whether Mr. Trump specifically directed an end to intelligence sharing; however, one senior official noted that it was still ongoing — at least for now.
Mr. Trump convened a meeting with his national security team on Monday to examine the administration’s potential responses.
This decision unfolds at a pivotal moment in Ukraine’s struggle against Russian aggression, as Mr. Trump has intimated in recent weeks that the era of isolating Moscow has concluded.
According to U.S. officials and analysts, through its own weapons manufacturing and European arms deliveries, Ukraine could endure a shutdown of U.S. supplies for several weeks, or even months.
“The reality is that Ukraine is now far less reliant on the United States for its daily combat requirements than it was a year ago,” stated Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, who has made several visits to Ukraine since the onset of war three years ago.
However, if this halt continues for an extended period, Ukraine risks losing access to advanced weaponry, including state-of-the-art air-defense systems, surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, and long-range rocket artillery, as well as critical parts and maintenance support provided by the U.S.
Mr. Zelensky has previously stated that a cessation of military aid would be catastrophic, yet it would not necessarily terminate the ongoing conflict.
“The contribution from the United States to Ukraine’s defense and security is currently about 30 percent,” he remarked in a previous interview last month. “You can imagine the impact on us if we lose this vital 30 percent.”
U.S. military aid was also halted last year for several months after Mr. Trump encouraged his Republican colleagues in Congress to withhold support.
The consequences were initially felt as Russian bombardments targeted the nation’s energy infrastructure. With the American air defense system’s launch tubes empty, Ukrainian air defense units struggled to protect themselves against Russia’s sophisticated missiles devastating their thermal power plants.
As aid continued to be delayed month after month, metro stations in the capital became overcrowded with families seeking refuge as the protection provided by American Patriot batteries began to erode.
The impact on the frontlines took longer to manifest. However, as resources dwindled and American-made Howitzers grew silent, Ukrainian commanders reported being forced to ration ammunition in the field.
Adam Entous contributed reporting from Washington, and Marc Santora from Kyiv, Ukraine.