The United States has paused military aid to Ukraine indefinitely, following a tense Oval Office exchange between President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
A White House official, speaking anonymously, stated: “President [Trump] has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.”
No timeline has been given for the suspension, and Ukraine has yet to respond officially. The decision follows an extraordinary confrontation last Friday between Trump, Zelenskyy, and Vice President JD Vance.
Fallout from the dispute
Trump’s public rebuke of Zelenskyy has sparked strong reactions, with European leaders rallying behind Ukraine while considering their next steps. On Monday, Trump doubled down on his criticism, telling reporters that Zelenskyy should be “more appreciative.”
Posting on Truth Social, Trump wrote that the Ukrainian president had made “the worst statement that could have been made” by suggesting peace remained “very, very far away.”
“America will not put up with it for much longer!” Trump declared. “It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be peace as long as he has America’s backing.”
In response, Zelenskyy posted on X: “Ukraine is working together with America and our European partners and very much hopes for US support on the path to peace. Peace is needed as soon as possible.”
Future of US-Ukraine relations uncertain
Despite the diplomatic fallout, Trump has suggested a deal remains possible. A planned agreement granting the US access to Ukraine’s rare earth metals—seen as both a key economic partnership and a step towards a peace settlement—was due to be signed last Friday. However, the dispute between the two leaders has put the agreement in jeopardy.
Zelenskyy is pushing for the deal to include firm commitments to deter Russia in case of future violations of any peace terms. Meanwhile, Vice President Vance has argued that economic cooperation with Ukraine is the best way to ensure lasting security.
“If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine,” Vance told Fox News. “That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years.”
Vance also criticised Zelenskyy’s approach, suggesting he had shown “a lack of respect” and “a certain sense of entitlement” during his visit to Washington. He reiterated that negotiations remained open but suggested Zelenskyy “still isn’t there.”
Europe considers its own response
European and global leaders, who met with Zelenskyy over the weekend, have discussed forming a “coalition of the willing” to deploy peacekeeping forces to deter further Russian aggression. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated that the UK is willing to provide both ground troops and air support, although it remains unclear which other nations might participate.
Addressing MPs on Monday, Starmer stressed: “Britain must lead from the front on supporting Ukraine and the security of our continent, the security of our country.” However, he also acknowledged that any international deployment of forces would require a credible US deterrent to be taken seriously by Russia.
To date, the US has provided Ukraine with approximately €64bn in military aid, compared with €62bn from European nations, including the UK. The overall financial support, including humanitarian and economic assistance, stands at €114bn from the US and €132bn from Europe. Following the weekend summit, the UK pledged a further £1.6bn to fund Ukraine’s purchase of 5,000 air defence missiles.
American public opinion on Ukraine support
A US poll conducted before Friday’s Oval Office confrontation found that 52% of Americans “personally support” Ukraine, while 44% expressed no preference. Only 4% backed Russia in the ongoing conflict.
The CBS News/YouGov poll, carried out between 26-28 February, found that support for Ukraine was highest among Democrats, while 56% of Republicans said they had no preference. Meanwhile, 37% of Republican respondents expressed support for Ukraine, and 7% backed Russia.
The poll also indicated that public opinion on Trump’s handling of the conflict remains sharply divided, with 51% approving of his approach and 49% disapproving. When asked whether military aid to Ukraine should continue, the split was identical.
A separate 2Way poll conducted after Friday’s Oval Office meeting found that 49% believed Trump and Vice President Vance made stronger arguments in favour of diplomacy with Russia. Additionally, 62% of respondents considered Zelenskyy’s remarks “offensive,” while 55% said Ukraine should prioritise negotiations to end the war.
Trump continued his attacks on Zelenskyy on Monday, posting: “The worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!… This guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing.”
US foreign policy and NATO commitment
According to the CBS poll, American views on global alliances remain mixed. While 78% believe the US should stay in NATO, 22% support leaving the alliance. Regarding broader US foreign policy, 16% said America should take a leading role, while 67% preferred working equally with allies. Only 17% favoured stepping back from international affairs altogether.
Senior Republicans, while supporting Trump’s approach, continue to express distrust of Russian President Vladimir Putin. House Speaker Mike Johnson told CNN: “Putin is not to be trusted and he is dangerous,” adding that Russia and China are “not on America’s side.”
Meanwhile, Oklahoma Senator James Lankford told NBC: “Putin is a murderous KGB thug and a dictator. Zelenskyy is rightfully concerned that Putin can’t be trusted to respect a ceasefire agreement.”
Despite the political turmoil, the future of US-Ukraine relations remains uncertain, with diplomatic tensions threatening to reshape the course of the war and international alliances in the months ahead.
Russia responds to Trump’s suspension of military aid to Ukraine
Russia has reacted to the United States’ decision to pause all military aid to Ukraine, a move that follows a tense meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy just days earlier.
On 3 March, the US government announced that it would suspend all military aid to Ukraine, in response to the announcement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed the decision, describing it as “the best contribution to the cause of peace.” Peskov further explained that if the suspension of aid was true, it could push the Kyiv government closer to the peace process. “If this is true, then this is a decision that can really encourage the Kyiv regime to come to the peace process,” he said, speaking via Reuters.
“It is obvious that the United States has been the main supplier of this war so far,” Peskov continued. “If the United States stops being an arms supplier or suspends these supplies, it will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace.”
Peskov had also commented on the shifting foreign policy of the Trump administration earlier in the week. In an interview with Russian state media, he noted that the changes aligned with Russia’s own vision. “The new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations,” Peskov said. “This largely coincides with our vision.”
He also added, “There is a long way to go, because there is huge damage to the whole complex of bilateral relations. But if the political will of the two leaders, President Putin and President Trump, is maintained, this path can be quite quick and successful.”
Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov praised Trump’s approach to Ukraine, calling it “common sense.”
