US President Donald Trump temporarily suspended all American military aid to Ukraine on Monday, senior administration officials and military personnel reported. The order affects more than $1 billion in weapons and ammunition that are in the development and ordering stages. Additionally, according to Bloomberg, Trump's decision halted not only future deliveries but also those already en route: on planes, ships, or in transit zones in Poland. This concerns «critically important ammunition», guided multiple launch rocket systems, and anti-tank weapons, the agency specifies.
As reported by The New York Times citing sources, this resulted from a series of meetings at the White House on Monday between Trump and his senior national security aides. According to officials, the directive will remain in effect until Trump is convinced that Ukraine has «demonstrated a good-faith commitment to peace negotiations with Russia».
«President Trump has made it clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to this goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure it contributes to a resolution», a White House representative told Fox News, adding that this is «not a permanent cessation of aid».
This move by Trump is unprecedented in modern American history. Although the United States has suspended the transfer of certain weapon systems to allies and partners, a complete halt in deliveries is essentially an ultimatum. It forces Zelensky to agree to a ceasefire on terms dictated by Trump or dooms the country to significant losses on the battlefield, according to NYT. The suspension also puts the US in direct contradiction with its main NATO allies. Most of the largest European countries, led by France, the UK, and Germany, have recently pledged to increase aid to Ukraine, supporting Zelensky in his dispute with the Trump administration. But they simply do not have the reserves to make up the difference in the short term.
On Monday, Trump stated that he does not consider the minerals deal dead, calling it «a great deal for us», but to resume negotiations, he needs to see gratitude from Zelensky. «I just think he should be more grateful», Trump told reporters.
Thanks to its own arms production and weapons supplies from Europe, Ukraine can withstand the cessation of US supplies for several weeks or even months, American officials and analysts said on Monday.
«The reality is that Ukraine is much less dependent on the United States for its daily combat needs than a year ago», said NYT senior fellow at the Carnegie Foundation Michael Kofman. But if the cessation of supplies drags on, Ukraine will lose some types of modern weapons, including advanced air defense systems and long-range rocket artillery. The United States also provides Ukraine with spare parts, maintenance, and technical support.
Zelensky stated that the cessation of military aid would be a devastating blow but would not lead to the cessation of hostilities. «The United States' contribution to Ukraine's defense capability and security now accounts for about 30 percent», he said in an interview last month. «You can imagine what would happen to us without these crucial 30 percent».
Photo: The New York Times