Donald Trump freezes Ukraine military aid after fiery Oval Office clash with Zelenskyy

US President Donald Trump on Monday paused military assistance to Ukraine following his clash with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Oval Office last week.

Trump and Vice President JD Vance had sharply criticised Zelenskyy for what they perceived as a lack of gratitude for the more than $180 billion in US military aid provided to Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion.

The heated 45-minute exchange, held in front of reporters, took an extraordinary turn when Trump publicly rebuked Zelenskyy as “disrespectful,” leading to the abrupt cancellation of a planned US-Ukraine critical minerals agreement.

The pause in military aid echoes Trump’s 2019 decision to withhold congressionally approved assistance to Ukraine while pressuring Zelenskyy to investigate then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. That episode led to Trump’s first impeachment by the House of Representatives, though he was acquitted by the Senate.

Trump, who has repeatedly claimed he could end the Ukraine war “within 24 hours” and seeks to push Kyiv into negotiations, has grown increasingly frustrated with Zelenskyy’s reluctance to engage in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Earlier Monday, Trump lashed out at Zelenskyy on his Truth Social platform after the Ukrainian leader told reporters that a resolution to the war remains “very, very far away.”

“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!” Trump wrote.

Zelenskyy, in a social media post later Monday, did not directly address Trump’s remarks but stressed the urgency of diplomatic efforts to end the war.

“It is very important that we make diplomacy substantive to end this war as soon as possible,” Zelenskyy said. “We need real peace, and Ukrainians want it most because the war ruins our cities and towns. We lose our people. We need to stop the war and guarantee security.”

Speaking to reporters in London following a European summit, Zelenskyy said he believed he could salvage US-Ukraine relations but stressed that further discussions with Trump should take place privately.

“We have to talk behind closed doors,” Zelenskyy said. “Ukraine will not concede territory, but we remain open to continued cooperation with the US.”

Zelenskyy’s visit to London coincided with renewed European efforts to bolster Ukraine’s defences. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a $2 billion military aid package that includes 5,000 air-defense missiles.

Starmer outlined a multi-pronged approach to peace, calling for continued military aid to Ukraine, economic pressure on Russia, and ensuring Kyiv’s involvement in any negotiations.

He also proposed a “coalition of the willing” to support Ukraine’s long-term security.

“If there is to be a stopping of the fighting, then that agreement has to be defended,” Starmer said.

Vice President Vance, speaking on Fox News, questioned the strategy of European allies who have allegedly encouraged Ukraine to keep fighting without a clear endgame.

“A lot of our European friends puff him up,” Vance said. “They say, you know, you’re a freedom fighter. You need to keep fighting forever. Well, fighting forever with what? With whose money, with whose ammunition, and with whose lives?”