In a dramatic turn of events, U.S. President Donald Trump has halted military aid shipments to Ukraine following a tense Oval Office exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a White House official confirmed to CNN on Monday.
The decision has sent shockwaves through Kyiv and European capitals, raising concerns that the U.S. is shifting its stance on the war, potentially forcing Ukraine into negotiations with Moscow.
Zelensky, responding publicly for the first time since the aid suspension, expressed a willingness to mend ties with Trump and work under his leadership to achieve lasting peace.
“My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts,” Zelensky wrote on X. “Our meeting at the White House on Friday did not go as planned. It is time to make things right.”
The White House stated that the freeze would remain in place until Ukraine commits to peace talks.
“The president 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,” a senior U.S. official explained.
Moscow quickly welcomed the move, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating that cutting off military supplies would be “the best contribution to peace.”
Meanwhile, the European Union is scrambling to reinforce support for Kyiv, unveiling a plan to mobilize €800 billion ($840 billion) to bolster European defense and provide Ukraine with immediate military assistance.
The suspension of aid and the heated White House exchange highlight growing tensions over the future of U.S. involvement in the Ukraine conflict, as Trump signals a potential shift in American foreign policy.
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