Washington: In the midst of a public spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week, the Trump administration recently declared its intention to cease U.S. military aid to Europe. A senior White House official stood by that decision in comments last week, telling Reuters, “The President has been clear to (his counterparts) that he’s focused on peace and expects them to be focused on peace as well. Therefore, we are pausing our relief efforts to focus on finding a solution.
A report from Bloomberg also quotes a Pentagon official as saying the President is now determining whether Zelenskyy is really attempting to bring peace to Ukraine with Russia. Another administration official, however, downplayed the action to Fox News, arguing this action should be considered a temporary suspension and not a permanent end to aid.
As of now, Ukrainian authorities have not made an official statement regarding this news. But the next step is by no means guaranteed to mean a giant cut in military aid. Kyiv officials have previously signalled that they may be able to defend themselves only until summer with existing resources, as Ukraine is engaged in an attrition war with Russia.
The move comes after a pivotal moment when both the U.S. and Ukraine were about to sign a strategic mineral deal, both countries believing it could contribute to the broader peace context surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war. But that changed suddenly Friday, during a meeting where Trump administration officials alleged that Zelenskyy had gone beyond the bounds of diplomacy in seeking security guarantees from the United States.
Arguments between both sides erupted in response to this escalation, leading to the request that a Ukrainian delegation leave the White House. Next, Trump associates demanded that Zelensky quit. Tearing into Zelensky on Monday, Trump told reporters, “I think he’s going to have to step up, and I think he’s going to have to apologize,”