The Trump government has confirmed it will halt military aid to Ukraine, the White House verified on Monday. This development follows a heated meeting between President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, which escalated into a public disagreement.
A White House representative told CBS News, “The president has prioritized peace. We need our allies to be dedicated to this goal too. We’re pausing and reevaluating our assistance to ensure it’s promoting a resolution.”
The U.S. has been a significant provider of weapons for Ukraine, aiding in their defense against Russian troops since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion three years ago. However, Trump’s return to office has led to a significant change in U.S. policy towards the conflict, with the president holding Ukraine responsible for the war initiated by Russia.
Last Friday’s meeting, originally planned to precede the signing of a U.S.-Ukraine economic and minerals agreement, deteriorated into a conflict. Trump demanded a ceasefire agreement from Zelenskyy with Russia, warning of U.S. withdrawal, while Vance criticized Zelenskyy for being “disrespectful” after he disputed the vice president’s claim that the war’s prolongation was due to Ukraine and the Biden administration’s lack of diplomacy. The meeting ended abruptly without signing the rare earth minerals deal, and several White House officials suggested to CBS News that the future of military aid for Ukraine is uncertain.
Since Trump’s inauguration in January, $3.85 billion has been available for weapons that could be drawn from U.S. stockpiles and sent to Ukraine, according to U.S. officials. However, no aid from this allocation has been packaged for shipment since January 21, a diplomatic source confirmed. Nonetheless, weapon shipments promised by the Biden administration have been sent to Ukraine since January 20.
After the Friday meeting, Zelenskyy traveled to London for a summit with European and Canadian leaders, emphasizing Western security guarantees as a crucial part of any agreement to end the war. He expressed in Ukrainian that peace with Russia was still a distant goal, but he was optimistic about the durability of Ukraine-U.S. relations.
However, Trump’s hardline stance on Ukraine has caused disquiet among some GOP lawmakers. Republican Senator Susan Collins, from Maine, stated on Monday, “I do not think we should be pausing our efforts. It’s the Ukrainians who are shedding blood. It is Putin who launched an unprovoked and unjustified attack on a free, democratic, and sovereign country. And I am not backing off my support for Ukraine.”
Trump previously stated that he had a “lengthy and highly productive phone call” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has instructed Rubio and other members of his national security team to “immediately” initiate negotiations to end Russia’s war with Ukraine.
This article was contributed by Eleanor Watson, Jennifer Jacobs, Margaret Brennan, and Sara Cook.
