The United States is temporarily suspending military aid to Ukraine, following a recent scandalous meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, a White House representative told the newspaper Bloomberg on the condition of anonymity. According to the official, the US is reviewing the aid to make sure it is actually helping to solve the problems.
According to the information Fox News, who also had an anonymous conversation with a senior official, this hiatus will last until Trump is satisfied that Ukraine’s leaders have a genuine commitment to peace. Such a decision is not a final cessation of aid, but only a pause, sources say. All US military equipment not currently in Ukraine, including weapons transported by aircraft and ships, will also be detained. At the same time, it is unclear, writes the authoritative Polish newspaper Wyborcza, how the order of the American president will affect the equipment transferred to Kyiv from Poland. Trump ordered Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to carry out the decision to suspend the supply of military aid. The media clarifies that Trump’s decision appeared as a result of what happened in the White House, where the American president said that it was not his intention to discuss the suspension of aid, but Zelensky should appreciate the support of the United States more.
What assistance is being paused?
Bloomberg clarifies that the freezing of aid to Ukraine, in particular the supply of critical ammunition, hundreds of rocket launchers, anti-tank weapons and other means, creates serious difficulties. Ukraine depends on the US for air defense as Russia continues to bombard Ukraine with missiles and drones. Only American anti-missile systems, such as the Patriot, are capable of shooting down Russian ballistic missiles, including the Dagger.
According to the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this US decision came as a surprise to European allies, as no prior consultations were held. Senior UK officials were also unaware of the plan until late Monday night, despite recent talks between members of the UK and US governments.
Citing an unnamed White House official CNN writes that Ukraine will be able to maintain the current level of hostilities for several weeks, perhaps until the beginning of summer, before the suspension of US military aid makes itself felt. The Biden administration has been actively supplying weapons to Ukraine in recent days, providing our country with large stocks of modern equipment.
These advanced weapons, in particular ATACMS missile complexes, allowed Ukraine to carry out deep strikes on Russian territories. However, this strategy could be disrupted if the supply of these weapons is stopped. Although European countries can compensate with artillery shipments, and Ukraine’s defense industry is growing, the most advanced weapons that Ukraine uses still come from the United States.
Republicans and Democrats react to Trump’s decision in different ways
Republicans in Congress, where they hold majorities in both houses, split up regarding continued aid to Ukraine through its three-year war with Russia. Senator Markwayne Mullin, an ally of Trump, expressed the opinion that US commitments to Ukraine are limited in nature. He noted that American taxpayers are tired of financing a war that has no end, and he doubts that Ukraine will be able to win. Mullin said that if President Zelensky wants peace negotiations, the US will support them, but if there is no desire for negotiations, then the Americans should not be forced to continue financing the “endless war”.
At the same time, Donald Trump’s decision met criticism from several members of the US Congress. Republican Senator Susan Collins from Maine said that now is a critical time for Ukraine. She emphasized that last year she worked on providing additional aid to Ukraine and believes that support cannot be stopped, because Ukrainians continue to fight and make great sacrifices.
Donald Trump’s decision caused outrage among Democrats. Gregory Meeks, the vice chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said that if Trump really wanted to secure a fair peace deal for Ukraine, he would not give up the leverage that the US, its allies and Ukraine had. Mike Quigley, co-chair of the Ukrainian caucus, said Trump had “crossed the line” and started supporting Putin, a war criminal.
Mark Kanchian, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told CNN noted, that the impact of the aid suspension will be large and devastating for Ukraine. According to his estimates, the consequences will be felt in two to three months, while the help of Europe allows Kyiv to stay in the fight. However, when stocks dwindle, it will affect the front line, and Ukraine may be forced to accept an unfavorable peace deal. Kanchian also warned that the Trump administration could withdraw other types of support, such as intelligence sharing and military training, which would be a major blow to Ukraine.
After the news about the suspension of military aid to Ukraine, Marco Rubio stated, that Donald Trump is “the only leader in the world who can finally end the war in Ukraine.” He emphasized that the goal of the American president is to bring Russia to the negotiating table and see if peace is possible.
Europe is ready for “rearmament”
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen presented the “ReArm Europe” plan, aimed at significantly strengthening the defense capabilities of the European Union. “A new era awaits us,” she wrote to EU leaders. “Europe is facing a clear and real danger, the likes of which we have not seen in our entire adult lives… We live in the most important and most dangerous times.”
This plan includes:
Increase in defense spending. EU aspires significantly increase defense spending to ensure sustainable peace by strengthening its own defense capabilities.
Simplifying financing for member states. Plan includes mechanisms that allow EU countries to increase defense spending without violating budget constraints, giving them greater financial flexibility. The Commission proposes loosening fiscal constraints to allow member states to significantly increase defense spending without breaching EU budget rules. She noted that if member states increased their defense spending by 1.5% of GDP on average, it would create fiscal space of nearly 650 billion euros over four years.
Creation of a fund worth 150 billion euros for joint procurement. It is offered create a fund that will ensure joint procurement of military equipment, including air and missile defense systems, artillery, ammunition and drones.
Using the EU budget for defense investments. Plan provides using EU budget opportunities to finance defense projects, including joint purchases and investments in the defense industry.
As part of the “ReArm Europe” plan, the European Union can attract up to 800 billion euros to strengthen its defense capabilities. This includes the financing of joint purchases of military equipment, the development of defense infrastructures and investments in innovative technologies such as unmanned systems, air defense, artillery and ammunition. Attracting such a large amount will allow the EU to strengthen its defense in the face of the threat from Russia and other geopolitical challenges, as well as to reduce its dependence on the US in matters of defense policy.
Shmygal does not know anything about the termination of aid
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal during a press conference stated, that as of yesterday evening, Ukraine had not received information about the termination of aid from the United States. All aid packages planned under the previous US administration continue to flow to Ukraine. Shmyhal stressed that the military and the government have the resources to provide defense even if US aid is cut off and are ready to act in any conditions.
He also assured that Ukraine is determined to continue cooperation with the USA, and is also ready to sign an agreement on the creation of an Investment Fund. The Prime Minister emphasized that Ukraine is focused only on “plan A” – victory, and does not consider “plan B”.
At the same time, the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk reported, that information from the south of Poland confirms the suspension of American aid to Ukraine. He noted that this information came from the Polish hub in Jasionka and was confirmed by the American side.
