US pauses aid to Ukraine
US President Donald Trump has halted all aid to Ukraine while assessing President Volodymyr Zelensky’s commitment to ending the war with Russia, according to multiple US media reports.
Fox News, citing unidentified officials, reported that an official order is imminent. Trump is expected to address the Ukraine issue in his speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening. This comes on the same day his tariff hikes—25% on imports from Canada and Mexico and 20% on Chinese goods—take effect.
When asked at the White House about conditions for resuming negotiations with Ukraine, Trump emphasized the need for appreciation, saying, “This country has stuck with them through thick and thin.”
Regarding Zelensky’s recent comments in London about the war potentially dragging on, Trump expressed hope that the Ukrainian leader was wrong. He also suggested that Russia and the people of Ukraine want an end to the conflict, subtly distancing Zelensky from his nation’s broader stance.
Trump had previously called Zelensky a dictator and accused him of avoiding elections out of fear of losing. Following a tense Oval Office exchange last Friday, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham—who has supported Ukraine but is known for shifting allegiances—called for Zelensky to step down.
In response, Zelensky dismissed the suggestion and sarcastically offered Graham Ukrainian citizenship so he could participate in the country’s elections.
