The Trump administration has reportedly halted all military aid to Ukraine, according to sources familiar with internal discussions.
Bloomberg reported that the freeze will remain in place until President Donald Trump determines that Ukrainian leaders are making a genuine effort toward peace.
The decision affects all U.S. military equipment not currently in Ukraine, including weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting in transit areas in Poland. Reports indicate that Trump ordered Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to execute the pause.
“This is not a permanent termination of aid, it’s a pause,” a Trump administration official told Fox News.
The move follows a tense meeting at the White House between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday. During the discussions, Trump and Vice President JD Vance pressured Zelensky to sign a minerals deal, which would require Ukraine to surrender a significant portion of its mineral revenue without securing an American security guarantee.
At the meeting, Trump accused Zelensky of being “disrespectful” and warned that continued U.S. support for Ukraine might not last unless the Ukrainian leader pursued peace more aggressively. “You either make a deal, or we’re out. You don’t have the cards,” Trump reportedly told Zelensky.
Zelensky fired back, saying, “We’re not playing cards.”
The confrontation marked a critical moment in U.S.-Ukraine relations, as the US president on Monday warned Zelenskyy that continued US support for Ukraine may not last “much longer” unless the Ukrainian president changes his tune on bringing a rapid end to Russia’s war
Trump continued attacking Zelensky and Ukraine at a White House news conference and repeated an unverifiable claim that the U.S. has sent $350 billion in aid to Ukraine.
However, Mark Cancian, a senior defense and security adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, refuted this figure, estimating U.S. aid at around $175 billion to $185 billion. Additionally, Ukraine Oversight, a U.S. government website tracking military assistance, reported that as of September 30, 2024, the total aid provided to Ukraine was $183 billion.
Despite the rising tensions, Zelensky maintained confidence in preserving close connections with Washington. In a post on X, he reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to working closely with the United States and its European allies to achieve long-lasting peace.
“We are working together with America and our European partners and very much hope on U.S. support on the path to peace,” Zelensky stated, underscoring the need for real security guarantees.
The pause in military aid raises concerns about the future of Ukraine’s defense capabilities and its ongoing war efforts against Russia.
