Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has suspended American aid to Ukraine, a senior administration official confirmed. The official stated that the president’s focus remains on achieving peace.
"We want our partners to be committed to the same goal. We are pausing and reassessing our aid to ensure it contributes to a resolution," the official said.
This announcement follows an escalation in rhetoric between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on social media. President Trump criticized Zelensky’s recent statement that Ukraine remains far from ending its war with Russia, calling it "one of the worst remarks" the Ukrainian leader has made.
Trump posted on Truth Social that Americans "cannot tolerate" supporting Ukraine’s war for an extended period. This marks the latest exchange in the growing rift between the two leaders since their heated verbal clash at the White House last Friday.
Meanwhile, President Zelensky, after securing military support from European leaders in London, expressed hope that U.S. assistance would continue. "I believe our relations with the United States are strong enough to ensure ongoing support," Zelensky stated.
However, Trump has criticized Zelensky’s stance, accusing him of seeking prolonged U.S. and European support instead of working toward peace. The U.S. president also pointed out that European leaders admitted Ukraine cannot sustain its war effort against Russia without American backing.
Trump further argued that Zelensky’s approach does not project strength against Russia. "What are they thinking?" Trump remarked in response to the Ukrainian leader’s comments.
Zelensky, for his part, reiterated his hope that Western support would help end the war as soon as possible.
While Trump is pushing for an end to the war that has claimed hundreds of thousands of military and civilian lives, Zelensky fears that Trump’s approach could favor Moscow over Kyiv. Russia currently controls nearly 5% of Ukrainian territory, internationally recognized as part of Ukraine, and continues its efforts to seize more land.
Regarding economic cooperation, the White House has stated that Trump is not currently prepared to negotiate a mineral resources agreement with Ukraine. However, Zelensky has expressed readiness to sign a mining deal with the U.S. and remains optimistic about maintaining good relations with President Trump.
Following the European leaders’ summit in the UK, Zelensky told reporters, he believes the U.S. is also willing to move forward with the agreement but may need more time for analysis.
A deal was initially expected to be signed last week at the White House, but it was postponed after a tense meeting between Zelensky, Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance, where strong words were exchanged.
On Sunday, Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine’s reliance on U.S. assistance in resisting Russia’s three-year-long invasion.
During Friday’s meeting, Trump criticized Zelensky as ungrateful, suggesting that a mining deal could serve as a way for Ukraine to compensate for the billions in U.S. aid it has received.
Trump has emphasized the urgent need to end the war. Alongside his recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, high-level U.S. officials have engaged in discussions with Russian representatives in Saudi Arabia regarding a potential peace agreement—talks in which Ukrainian officials were not included.
