CV NEWS FEED // The Trump administration is pausing all aid to Ukraine, including weapons already in transit or stationed in Poland, until Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demonstrates a greater commitment to peace, Fox News reported this week.
The pause was announced March 3, just days after a tense Feb. 28 meeting between Ukrainian Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump, and Vice President JD Vance at the White House. The meeting, aimed at the signing of a mineral deal and moving a step closer to a ceasefire with Russia, escalated into a heated argument.
A White House official told Fox News, “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.”
A senior administration official clarified that military aid would remain on hold until Ukrainian leaders demonstrated a commitment to peace negotiations. “This is not a permanent termination of aid, it’s a pause,” the official emphasized.
The meeting between Trump, Zelenskyy, and Vance turned contentious when the Trump administration presented a minerals-for-security agreement to Ukraine. Zelenskyy complained that the deal did not include security guarantees against future Russian aggression. Zelenskyy’s unexpected criticism of the proposal during the public press event led to an argument.
Trump accused Zelenskyy of “gambling with World War III” for resisting the White House’s efforts to negotiate a ceasefire with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Biden administration had previously supplied billions in military aid to Ukraine to resist Russian forces following Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022. However, Trump has been critical of the level of U.S. aid, arguing that European nations should take on a greater share of the burden.
When asked March 3 about the status of the minerals deal, Trump told reporters he would discuss the matter during a joint session of Congress this week. He also emphasized that Zelenskyy should show greater appreciation for U.S. support.
“I just think he should be more appreciative because this country has stuck with him through thick and thin,” Trump said. “We’ve given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more than us because, as you know, that’s right there, that’s the border.”
Following the heated exchange with Zelenskyy, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard publicly praised Trump and Vance for their handling of the meeting. She thanked Trump for his “unwavering leadership” and accused Zelenskyy of attempting to drag the United States into a nuclear war with Russia.