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Trump halts all U.S. military aid to Ukraine, White House official says

WASHINGTON, March 4 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine following his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week, a White House official, deepening the fissure that has opened between the two one-time allies.
Trump halts all U.S. military aid to Ukraine, White House official says epa11919665 A handout photo made available by Ukraine's 93rd Mechanized Brigade press service shows destroyed buildings and coal mines in the frontline city of Toretsk, Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, 22 February 2025 (issued 23 February 2025), amid the Russian invasion. EPA-EFE/UKRAINE'S 93RD MECHANIZED BRIGADE HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

  • Trump pauses military aid to Ukraine after clash with Zelenskiy
  • Trump suggests potential minerals deal with Ukraine despite tensions
  • European leaders propose peace plan, seek U.S. support

By Andrea Shalal and Gram Slattery

"President Trump 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," said the official on Monday, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The White House had no immediate comment on the scope and amount of aid affected or how long the pause would last. The Pentagon could not provide further details.

Zelenskiy's office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment nor did the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington.

The move comes after Trump upended U.S. policy on Ukraine and Russia upon taking office in January, adopting a more conciliatory stance towards Moscow - and after an explosive confrontation with Zelenskiy at the White House on Friday in which Trump criticized him for being insufficiently grateful for Washington's backing in the war with Russia.

On Monday, Trump again said Zelenskiy should be more appreciative of American support after earlier responding angrily to an Associated Press report quoting Zelenskiy as saying the end of the war is "very, very far away."

"This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" Trump wrote on Truth Social, using an alternative spelling of the Ukrainian leader's name.

 

MINERALS DEAL NOT DEAD, SAYS TRUMP

But Trump also suggested on Monday that a deal to open up Ukraine's minerals to U.S. investment could still be agreed despite his frustration with Kyiv, as European leaders floated proposals for a truce in Russia's war with its neighbor.

The Trump administration views a minerals deal as America's way of earning back some of the tens of billions of dollars it has given to Ukraine in financial and military aid since Russia invaded three years ago.

When asked on Monday if the deal was dead, Trump said at the White House: "No, I don't think so."

Trump described it as a "great deal for us" and said he would give an update on the situation on Tuesday night when he addresses a joint session of Congress.

The U.S. Congress has approved $175 billion in total assistance for Ukraine since Russia's invasion nearly three years ago, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. In December, right before leaving office, President Joe Biden announced an additional $5.9 billion in security and budget assistance.

U.S. assistance to Ukraine includes military aid, budgetary assistance, largely delivered through a World Bank trust fund, and other funds that had been delivered through the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has been throttled by the Trump White House.

Some of the money sent by the U.S. to Ukraine helps the country pay salaries of teachers, doctors and keeps the government running, allowing it to focus on fighting Russia's invasion.

Ukraine weapons assistance from the U.S. has been facilitated through two programs: Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which allows the president to quickly transfer weapons and equipment from U.S. stocks to foreign countries without the need for congressional approval, and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) where military equipment is procured from the defense industry.

In total the U.S. has pledged $31.7 billion worth of weapons aid to Ukraine through PDA. The vast majority - well over $20 billion according to a Reuters analysis - has been shipped.

The announced pause in military aid applies mainly to aid that had been previously approved but not yet disbursed. Trump has not approved any new aid under his own presidential authority since taking office and a new congressional aid package appears unlikely, at least in the near term.

 

EUROPE SEEKS PEACE PLAN

Prior to the White House's decision to halt its aid, European nations were rallying around Zelenskiy and trying to hatch a peace plan.

"There are clearly a number of options on the table," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesman said.

France, Britain and potentially other European countries have offered to send troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire - something Moscow has already rejected - but say they would want support from the U.S., or a "backstop."

Zelenskiy has said a ceasefire must carry explicit security guarantees from the West to ensure that Russia, which holds about 20% of its land, does not attack again. Trump has refused to give any such guarantees.

Starmer hosted European leaders in London on Sunday and said they agreed to draw up a peace plan to present to Washington.

Those leaders were still trying to come to grips with Friday's fracas at the White House. Privately, and sometimes publicly, European officials are fuming at what they see as a betrayal of Ukraine, which had enjoyed staunch support from Washington since Russia's invasion.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Gram SlatteryAdditional reporting by Idrees Ali, Lidia Kelly, Mike Stone and Jasper Ward Writing by James OliphantEditing by Humeyra Pamuk and Michael Perry)

Comments (5)

Anthony Craig Mar 4, 2025, 08:07 AM

Trump is doing all he can to "Make America Despised" by dumping Ukraine and cosying up to Putin. "Die wiel draai" Donald, and those butts you're kicking are the same ones you're going to need to kiss when China comes knocking. The world is turning away from the US.

Rod MacLeod Mar 4, 2025, 10:00 AM

Indeed. Americans seem to have forgotten Plato's sobering advice - one of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.

Jane Crankshaw Mar 4, 2025, 08:12 AM

“What can you expect from a pig but a grunt”

Rod MacLeod Mar 4, 2025, 09:51 AM

Ha! Ha! And there's nothing as disgruntled as a castrated pig ...

Beyond Fedup Mar 4, 2025, 12:23 PM

What a disgrace? This is a betrayal of all that America stands for and it’s soul. He is now on the side of evil, in the company of vile tyrants, human rights abusers and mass-murderers like the devil Putin, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela etc. A disgusting bully, who spews vitriol and insults.

Beyond Fedup Mar 4, 2025, 12:28 PM

Trumps idea of peace is to favour Putin, rewarding him for the stealing the land, murdering/injuring hundreds of thousands, torturing/kidnapping. Zelensky must prostrate himself at the emperor’s feet and apologise for what. Being insulted, bullied, harangued? What is Putin giving up? Zero

Beyond Fedup Mar 4, 2025, 12:33 PM

No security guarantees, Putin will invade again once Trump has gifted him the ceasefire to rearm. It has all happened before - his sick dream is to restore the vile Soviet Empire. In the 25 years that this devil Putin has been in power, he has reneged over 125 agreements. Nothing will change.

tjaartblig Mar 5, 2025, 05:42 PM

It's like telling a robber he can keep what he stole, as long as he promises not to do it again. When he asks if anything would stop him, just repeat the promise he's made. Surely that's gonna work right? He promised Obama, Macron and Merkel but when promises $TRUMP he will stick to it for sure.