Trump takes a radical step to push for an end to the war in Ukraine

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, ordered a "pause" in military aid to Ukraine this Monday following a tense meeting last week with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, at the White House.

The measure aims to pressure the Ukrainian president to commit to peace negotiations with Russia and expedite the end of the conflict, which has already lasted over three years since the Russian invasion.

"The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to commit to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," said a White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to the AP agency.

The decision affects the entire military team that has not yet entered Ukraine.

The suspension occurs at a moment of rising tension between Trump and Zelenski.

During the failed meeting in the Oval Office, the American president and his vice president, JD Vance, rebuked Zelenski for not showing enough gratitude for the assistance that the United States has provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict.

After the meeting, Trump criticized Zelenski on his platform Truth Social for suggesting that the war "is still very, very far" from ending.

"This is the worst statement that Zelenski could have made, and the United States will not tolerate it much longer!", the president wrote.

Context and background

This is not the first time Trump has interrupted military aid to Ukraine.

In 2019, before the start of the war with Russia, Trump withheld congressionally approved aid to pressure Zelensky into launching investigations into Joe Biden, which led to his first impeachment.

Now Trump is once again seeking to condition U.S. support, this time to force Ukraine to accept a peace agreement with Russia.

Since his presidential campaign, Trump has expressed frustration with Zelensky and has shown confidence that Vladimir Putin could be a valid interlocutor in a peace negotiation.

At the same time, his main allies have intensified pressure on the Ukrainian leader to change his stance or, if not, to step aside.

"Zelensky needs to return to reality and come back to the table with gratitude, or someone else needs to lead the country," stated Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House.

For his part, Senator Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally and defender of Ukraine, stated that "Zelensky either needs to resign and send someone we can do business with, or he needs to change."

Russia celebrates Trump's decision

The Kremlin responded positively to Trump's measure.

"It is a decision that, indeed, could push the Kiev regime to engage in a peace process", stated Dmitri Peskov, spokesperson for the Russian government.

However, he added that Europe "will surely try to compensate for the volumes of ammunition and everything else."

According to Bloomberg and Fox News, the interruption of U.S. aid will impact shipments valued at over 1 billion dollars.

Pentagon data -quoted by the U.S. press- indicates that there are still 3.85 billion dollars authorized by Congress pending delivery.

This decision also affects equipment en route to Poland and weaponry on cargo ships, leaving the U.S. military support to Kiev in uncertainty.

The crisis in the relationship between Trump and Zelensky

The tensions between both leaders reached a critical point last Friday at the White House.

The meeting was marked by moments of tension, with Trump reproaching Zelensky for his lack of commitment to peace and suggesting that "if someone does not want to reach an agreement, that person will not be in that position for much longer."

Zelensky tried to downplay the situation, stating that the relationship between the two countries remains strong.

However, his stance has not convinced the Trump administration, which demands a "demonstration of genuine intention" to negotiate with Russia.

The U.S. administration has even hinted that it is seeking a public apology from Zelensky to resume dialogue.

The future of the rare earths agreement

A key element in the crisis is the rare earths agreement, an economic pact that would have allowed the United States access to Ukraine's critical minerals in exchange for financial and military support.

The signing of the agreement was scheduled to coincide with Zelensky's visit to Washington, but it was canceled following the breakdown of the meeting at the White House. However, Trump hinted that the agreement might be revisited.

"It's a great agreement," he assured on Monday, adding that he expects to address the topic during his upcoming speech before Congress.

Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick spoke with Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Zelensky, about the possibility of reactivating the pact, stating that "the agreement will be signed soon."

Political and military consequences

Since the Russian invasion in 2022, the Biden administration had regularly approved military aid packages to bolster Ukrainian resistance.

However, the transition of power in the United States has resulted in a drastic shift in foreign policy. Trump has made it clear that his priority is a peace agreement, although his critics argue that the strategy amounts to a forced surrender of Ukraine.

In Washington, Trump's decision has sparked mixed reactions. While some Republicans support the suspension of aid, Democrats and analysts warn that the measure weakens Ukraine and strengthens Putin's position in the conflict.

With the relationship between Trump and Zelensky at its lowest point, the future of the alliance between the two countries remains uncertain.

Frequently asked questions about Trump's suspension of military aid to Ukraine