President Trump Stops All United States Military Aid To Ukraine

United States HIMARS Delivery. (Wikimedia Commons/US Marine Corps/Master Sigt. Sarah Nadeau)

JAKARTA - President Donald Trump has stopped military aid to Ukraine after his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week, a White House official said, deepening the rifts that had taken place between the two.

The move comes after President Trump changed US policies against Ukraine and Russia after taking office in January, took a softer stance on Moscow, and after an explosive confrontation with President Zelensky at the White House on Friday last week, in which President Trump criticized him for not thanking Washington for his support during the war with Russia.

"President Trump has explained he is focusing on peace. We need our partners to commit to that goal as well. We are discontinuing and reviewing our assistance to ensure that it contributes to the solution," the official said on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Monday's decision also appears to have stopped sending military equipment approved by former President Joe Biden, including ammunition, missiles, and other systems.

The US decision leaves many unanswered questions, including whether ammunition for the weapons systems that have been delivered can now be supplied or whether the US will still share intelligence information with Ukraine regarding target identification and missile launches.

The main members of the congressional surveillance committee were not notified of the decision, including those on the Senate Armed Forces Committee, a source with knowledge told Reuters.

The White House did not immediately comment on the coverage and amount of aid affected or how long the shutdown would take. Meanwhile, the Pentagon was unable to provide further information.

On the other hand, President Zelensky's office did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment, as was the case with the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington.

Domestically, Democratic Party politicians at the US Congress condemned the move.

"By freezing military aid into Ukraine, President Trump has opened the door wide for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to escalate his violent aggression against innocent Ukrainians. His impact will undoubtedly be devastating," said Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Separately, the US decision on Ukraine's aid strengthened Russia's position and made peace even more difficult to achieve, Young French Minister for Europe Benjamin Haddad said on Tuesday.

The suspension of arms to Ukraine makes peace "farther, as it only strengthens the aggressor's position on the ground, namely Russia," Haddad told France 2.

Meanwhile, Oleksandr Merezhko, head of Ukraine's Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, said the temporary suspension of President Trump's military assistance seemed to prompt Kyiv to surrender.

"On the surface, this looks very bad. It seems he is pushing us towards a capitulation, which means (receiving) Russia's demands," he said.

Razom for Ukraine, a group of Ukrainian advocacy, condemned the White House's decision regarding military aid.

"By suddenly stopping military aid to Ukraine, President Trump left Ukraine neglected and gave Russia the green light to continue moving west," he said in a statement.

It is known that since the Russian invasion three years ago, the US Congress has approved a total aid of 175 billion US dollars to Ukraine, according to the nonpartisan Committee for the Federal Budget Responsible.

The administration of President Trump inherited the US$3.85 billion power approved by Congress to take over US arms supplies to Ukraine. However, given the growing dispute between Washington and Kyiv, it does not appear the aid will be used.

However, President Trump on Monday signaled an agreement to open Ukraine minerals for US investment could be approved, as European leaders proposed a ceasefire in Russia's war with its neighbors.

President Trump's administration views mineral deals as America's way of getting back part of the tens of billions of dollars it has given Ukraine in financial and military aid since Russia invaded three years ago.

When asked on Monday if the deal failed, President Trump said at the White House: "No, I don't think so."

President Trump described it as "a great deal for us" and said he would provide the latest information about the situation on Tuesday night, when he addressed a joint session of Congress.