The pause in aid comes days after a now infamous clash between Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office [Getty]
The United States is pausing military aid to Ukraine days after US President Donald Trump clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, a White House official confirmed on Monday.
The official said the US is pausing and reviewing aid to ensure it is contributing to a solution.
The pause will last until Trump determines the country’s leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace, according to Bloomberg and Fox News reports.
“This is not permanent termination of aid, it’s a pause,” Fox News quoted a Trump administration official as saying.
Bloomberg reported that all U.S. military equipment not currently in Ukraine would be paused, including weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting in transit areas in Poland.
It added that Trump ordered Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth to execute the pause.
The reports come hours after Trump told reporters at the White House that he had not discussed suspending military aid to Ukraine, but added that Zelensky “should be more appreciative” of Washington’s support.
Trump also stepped up his threats against Zelensky after the Oval Office incident, suggesting the Ukrainian leader “won’t be around very long” without a ceasefire deal with Russia.
Trump heavily criticized Zelensky for saying the war could go on for a long time and said Ukraine’s president should be “more appreciative” of billions of dollars of military aid in Kyiv’s fight against Russia.
(Reuters)
