- President Trump has directed a pause to U.S. assistance to Ukraine as Trump seeks to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to engage in peace talks with Russia.
- Zelenskyy reportedly stated that an agreement to end the war is still far away, which Trump criticized.
- Tensions arose after a contentious Oval Office meeting where Zelenskyy requested more security guarantees but refused to sign a mineral deal.
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U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a pause on military assistance with Ukraine, multiple news agencies are reporting. The decision comes days after following a contentious Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, Feb. 28.
“President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace,” a White House official told Axios. “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.”
The decision comes after Trump expressed his frustration with President Zelenskyy on Monday, March 3. Trump had indicated that the U.S. may soon lose patience with the Ukrainian leader.
Speaking to reporters, Trump referenced an Associated Press article in which Zelenskyy reportedly stated, “An agreement to end the war is still very, very far away, and no one has started all these steps yet. The peace that we foresee in the future must be just, honest, and most importantly, sustainable.”
What did Trump say?
In response, Trump said, “President Zelenskyy supposedly made a statement today on AP, I’m not a big fan of AP, so maybe it was an incorrect statement, but he said he thinks the war is going to go on for a long time, and he better not be right about that. That’s all I’m saying.”
Trump later posted on Truth Social, “This guy doesn’t want there to be peace as long as he has America’s backing, and Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S.”
Why is the relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy strained?
Tensions between the two leaders have been strained since a contentious meeting in the Oval Office on Friday, Feb. 28. The disagreement was reportedly sparked by Zelenskyy’s request for more security guarantees in exchange for a mineral deal. Zelenskyy refused to sign the deal, which Trump described as “disrespectful.”
Trump is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress on the night of Tuesday, March 4.
