Trump pauses army support to Ukraine after bust-up with Zelenskyy

United States President Donald Trump has paused army support to Ukraine in a dramatic escalation of his spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump will pause all support till Kyiv is dedicated to what he determines are good-faith negotiations for peace, a number of US media retailers reported on Monday, citing unnamed Trump administration officers.

“The president has been clear that he’s targeted on peace. We’d like our companions to be dedicated to that purpose as nicely,” an unnamed White Home official was quoted as saying by a number of retailers.

“We’re pausing and reviewing our support to make sure that it’s contributing to an answer.”

The transfer got here hours after Trump accused Zelenskyy of not wanting peace “as lengthy he has America’s backing” in a publish on Reality Social, escalating a disagreement that culminated in a surprising public conflict between the 2 leaders on the White Home on Friday.

The choice to droop the switch of a whole lot of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in arms and ammunition which can be within the pipeline is more likely to deal a severe blow to Ukraine’s efforts to repel Russia’s invasion.

Whereas the US Congress has not accredited any new army support past the tens of billions of {dollars} already dedicated to Ukraine since Trump’s inauguration in January, former US President Joe Biden accredited transfers to proceed supplying tools for at the very least a number of years.

The US has appropriated $182.8bn in response to Moscow’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in response to the US Division of Protection, although that determine consists of broader spending associated to safety, resembling US army coaching in Europe.

Earlier than Trump’s order, Washington was on observe to provide month-to-month deliveries value $920m this 12 months, up from $500m in 2024, in response to an evaluation by the Washington-based Heart for Strategic and Worldwide Research and Worldwide Research (CSIS).

In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press final month, Zelenskyy stated his nation would have a “low probability to outlive” with out US help.

“Because it was, Ukraine was barely hanging on, with the Russians hammering their entrance strains and making steady although costly positive aspects,” Mark Cancian, a former US Marine Corps colonel who’s a senior adviser with CSIS, instructed Al Jazeera.

“With out the US army support, Ukrainian forces will steadily lose fight functionality. My guess is that the Ukrainians can maintain out for 2 to 4 months earlier than their strains buckle and the Russians break via.”

The contemporary nadir in US-Ukraine relations comes after Trump took challenge with Zelenskyy’s suggestion that the top of his nation’s battle in opposition to Russia’s invading forces was probably nonetheless “very, very far-off“.

Talking on the White Home on Monday, Trump stated Zelenskyy “higher not be proper” and that the battle ought to “finish quick”.

“If anyone doesn’t need to make a deal, I feel that individual received’t be round very lengthy,” Trump stated.

“That individual is not going to be listened to very lengthy.”

Talking on X after Trump’s newest criticism, Zelenskyy didn’t immediately seek advice from the US president’s remarks however stated Kyiv would proceed to work with companions.

“We’ve got already had talks and different steps to come back quickly. It is extremely vital that we attempt to make our diplomacy actually substantive to finish this battle the soonest attainable,” Zelenskyy stated.

“We’d like actual peace and Ukrainians need it most as a result of the battle ruins our cities and cities. We lose our individuals. We have to cease the battle and to ensure safety. We’re working along with America and our European companions and really a lot hope on US help on the trail to peace. Peace is required as quickly as attainable.”

There was no quick remark from Zelenskyy or his workplace on the pause in army support.

We proceed our work with companions. We’ve got already had talks and different steps to come back quickly.

It is extremely vital that we attempt to make our diplomacy actually substantive to finish this battle the soonest attainable.

We’d like actual peace and Ukrainians need it most as a result of the battle ruins our…

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 3, 2025

Trump’s transfer was broadly condemned by Democratic lawmakers and different supporters of Ukraine.

Democratic US Home of Representatives member Pramila Jayapal blasted the pause as a “shameful day in American historical past”.

“Let’s be clear – this isn’t about bringing peace. Donald Trump is siding with Russia, Putin, and dictators internationally over our allies and the protection of democracy,” Jayapal, who represents a district in Washington state, stated on X.

Michael McFaul, a former US ambassador to Russia beneath former US President Barack Obama, labelled the transfer “tragic”.

“Trump delivers keep on with democratic Ukraine. Trump offers nothing however carrots for autocratic, imperial Russia,” McFaul stated on X.

“This isn’t energy. That is weak point.”

Trump’s determination is about so as to add new urgency to Europe’s efforts to help Ukraine and salvage negotiations to finish the battle.

European international locations, led by the UK and France, are analyzing proposals for a peace deal after final week’s gorgeous rupture between Trump and Zelenskyy on the White Home.

“There are clearly numerous choices on the desk,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman stated on Monday.

The UK and France have expressed their willingness to ship peacekeeping troops to Ukraine within the occasion of a ceasefire however have known as on the US to supply a “backstop” within the type of safety ensures.

Cancian, the CSIS adviser, stated that filling the vacuum left by Trump’s pause would require a “considerably elevated dedication from Europe”.

“That stated, weapons don’t materialise in a single day. It can take time for any new European commitments to be delivered to Ukraine – it will likely be troublesome for Europe to instantly fill the hole in tools deliveries,” Cancian stated.