Trump suspends all military aid to Ukraine – Bloomberg
U.S. President Donald Trump has directed a pause on all military aid to Ukraine following a heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, according to reports from Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN.
A White House official, speaking to The Wall Street Journal, said the U.S. will withhold all military support to Kyiv until Trump determines that Zelenskyy is "demonstrating a good-faith commitment to peace."
"The president has made it clear he’s focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal too. We’re pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure it contributes to a resolution," the White House spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal and CNN.
A senior U.S. Defense Department official echoed this to Bloomberg, while a source told CNN the pause applies to all military equipment not yet in Ukraine.
The duration and conditions for resuming aid, previously drawn from U.S. stockpiles, remain unclear, as does what Washington expects from Kyiv. The Wall Street Journal noted this move marks the most dramatic U.S. turn away from a once-key ally.
A senior administration official said Trump’s top national security advisers agreed to the suspension after multiple meetings, with one official noting that Trump, angered by Zelenskyy’s claim that the war’s end is "very, very far away," felt compelled to signal seriousness about pushing Ukraine toward peace talks.
Another administration source said Ukrainians didn’t see the United States as serious on this issue, necessitating a strong gesture.
However, a separate official told The Wall Street Journal it is uncertain whether Zelenskyy signing a rare minerals deal—desired by the Trump administration—would suffice to restore aid.
Post-clash, Trump said Zelenskyy is not ready for peace and wants to "fight and fight," calling his "very, very far away" comment "the worst statement" and warning the United States "won’t put up for much longer."
Trump adviser Mike Waltz said the White House expects an apology from Zelenskyy for the Oval Office incident, the minerals deal’s signing, and a commitment to peace talks.
Trump also criticized Europe, claiming it spent more on Russian oil and gas than on Ukraine’s defense, despite Zelenskyy’s assertion that U.S. and European contributions are comparable.
