US President Donald Trump has ordered a halt to US military aid to Ukraine , just 24 hours after his altercation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday , a White House official said on Monday night.
"We are pausing and will review our assistance to ensure that it contributes to finding a solution" to the armed conflict between Ukraine and Russia, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, reports APE-MPA.
"The president has made it clear that he is focused on peace. We need partners who are also committed to achieving that goal ," he added.
The decision was revealed after a meeting at the White House earlier yesterday with the participation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and advisors to President Trump.
A few hours ago, the Republican head of state did not give a clear answer on the issue , saying that discussions were taking place.
"This is not a definitive end to aid (but) a pause ," another US official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, stressed on the Fox News television network.
Donald Trump has made no secret of his anger towards Mr. Zelensky after their meeting on Friday at the White House, which turned into a verbal clash. He continued and escalated his threats yesterday against the Ukrainian president, whom he suspects "does not want peace" with Russia.
He went so far as to say that he "will not tolerate" the Ukrainian president's positions for much longer.
The US military aid was approved by the previous administration of Democratic President Joe Biden. According to State Department figures, the US provided “$65.9 billion in military assistance” to Ukraine from February 24, 2022, to January 20, 2025.
JD Vance: 'The door is open' if Zelensky wants to talk seriously
US Vice President J.D. Vance said on Monday he was confident that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would eventually agree to talk about peace with Russia , just 24 hours after the fiasco that ended his meeting with Donald Trump on Friday.
During an interview with Fox News, Vice President Vance said that the Ukrainian president “has shown a clear refusal to commit to the peace process” that the US president wants. “I think Zelensky has not been there yet and I think, frankly, he is not there yet, but I think he will eventually get there. He has to . ”
At the same time, in his interview with Fox News, J.D. Vance stated that "of course, the door is open" for negotiations between Trump and Zelensky to continue , but with one condition.
" As long as Zelensky is willing to talk seriously about peace. You can't go into the Oval Office or anywhere else and refuse to even discuss the details of a peace deal ," Vance says.
Vance argues that the problem is that Zelensky was unwilling to discuss peace without security guarantees , a discussion that, according to the White House, should follow a peace agreement.
"When they're ready to talk about peace, I think President Trump will be the first to pick up the phone," Vance concludes.
Regarding Europe, the American vice president told Fox News that, while Trump has excellent relations with many European allies, they are saying different things publicly and privately about the Russia-Ukraine war.
“Here’s the problem with Europeans … they have to be realistic and the craziest thing about it, Sean, is that sometimes you see European leaders puffing out their chests in public and saying, ‘We’re on President Zelensky’s side for the next 10 years.’ And in private, they pick up the phone and say, ‘This can’t go on forever, it has to come to the negotiating table,” he said.
"Honestly, I don't care what Europeans say in public, I care what they say in private," he added.
“And what they need to tell President Zelensky is that this cannot go on forever – the bloodshed, the deaths, the economic devastation, it makes everyone suffer,” J.D. Vance concluded.
Rubio: "Trump is the only leader who can bring lasting peace to Ukraine"
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement regarding the suspension of military aid to Ukraine.
"President Trump is the only leader in the world right now who has even a chance to bring a lasting and permanent end to the war in Ukraine ," Rubio said.
“We want to bring the Russians to the negotiating table. We want to examine whether peace is possible ,” he pointed out.
How much money has Washington given to Ukraine?
The US Congress has approved a total of more than $180 billion (about £140 billion) in aid for Ukraine since Russia's invasion almost three years ago, the BBC notes.
Some of this aid includes budget support, provided primarily through a World Bank and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) trust fund. However, the Trump administration has made significant cuts to this funding.
A significant portion of the funds helps Ukraine pay salaries to teachers and doctors , thus keeping the government functioning.
The suspension of military aid mainly concerns funds approved by the Biden administration. Shipments of this aid had already been dramatically reduced since President Trump took office in January.
Trump has not approved any new aid to Ukraine under his own presidential authority , and there is no indication that Congress will approve any new aid package in the near future.
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