The Trump administration is pausing military aid to Ukraine, according to two U.S. officials, following last week’s public clash between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.
“The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well,” a White House official said Monday. “We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.”
The Ukrainian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday night.
The move by the Trump administration comes after an explosive meeting in the Oval Office on Friday, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance told Zelenskyy that he hadn’t shown enough gratitude for the billions of dollars in U.S. aid provided to his country in the three years since Russia invaded.
After the meeting, Trump said in a post on Truth Social that Zelenskyy “disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office,” and told reporters that the Ukrainian leader had “overplayed his hand” and was looking to continue fighting over seeking peace.
Russia occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine.
In the weeks leading up to the White House meeting, Trump had falsely said that Ukraine was responsible for Russia’s invasion, arguing Kyiv could have made a deal to avoid the conflict. He also referred to Zelenskyy as a “dictator,” after Zelenskyy suggested that Trump was being influenced by Russian disinformation.
Zelenskyy said Sunday that he is still willing to sign a deal that would allow the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare-earth minerals, and that he believes Ukraine’s relationship with the U.S could be salvaged after last week’s White House meeting. The Trump administration had previously indicated that Zelenskyy would sign the minerals deal during last week’s visit to the U.S.
