KYIV, Ukraine — News of the Trump administration’s suspension of military aid for Ukraine’s defense against the Russian invasion broke on Tuesday, following a recent incident that has intensified tensions between Kyiv and the White House.
President Trump has instructed the U.S. to halt all aid to Ukraine, aiming to push President Zelensky into engaging in peace negotiations with Russia.
This decision seemingly stops previously approved arms shipments, though it remains unclear if ammunition deliveries for existing weapon systems in Ukraine will be affected.
A Ukrainian soldier fighting in the Kursk region, where Ukraine launched an incursion in August 2024 to gain leverage in negotiations, expressed feeling betrayed, but not profoundly surprised. He spoke anonymously due to not being authorized to speak to the press. “I feel betrayed, but this feeling is not really deep for some reason. I was expecting something like that from Trump’s side,”
Others have indicated the move has deepened the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s objectives.
Oleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian lawmaker and head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, stated, “The problem is that it’s unclear what Trump wants and what the purpose of his actions is. As of today, it appears that he is increasingly siding with Russia and trying to pressure Ukraine into accepting Russia’s demands.”
He told The Associated Press, “This looks terrible—forcing the weaker side to accept the terms of the stronger aggressor.”
Kyiv has been concerned about potential aid cuts since Trump assumed office. Relations between the U.S. and Ukraine have deteriorated recently as Trump’s team initiated talks with Russia regarding the war and Trump’s attitude toward Zelensky has become more dismissive.
Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti quoted Andrei Kartapolov, chair of the defense committee in the lower house of Russian parliament, as predicting Ukraine will deplete its ammunition reserves within months. “We need to keep up the pressure and continue to target their bases and depots with long-range precision weapons to destroy the stockpiles,” he said.
Trump stated on Monday his continued interest in a deal to give the United States a share of Ukraine’s mineral resources, which Zelensky has also expressed willingness to sign.
Razom for Ukraine, a Ukrainian advocacy group, said, “By abruptly halting military assistance to Ukraine, President Trump is hanging Ukrainians out to dry and giving Russia the green light to continue marching west. Razom for Ukraine urges the White House to immediately reverse course, resume military aid and pressure Putin to end his horrific invasion.”
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