Trump pauses military aid to Ukraine after bust-up with Zelenskyy

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US president’s reported move comes hours after he accused Ukrainian leader of not wanting peace.

United States President Donald Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine in a dramatic escalation of his spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump will pause all aid until Kyiv is committed to what he determines are good-faith negotiations for peace, multiple US media outlets reported on Monday, citing unnamed Trump administration officials.

The move came hours after Trump accused Zelenskyy of not wanting peace “as long he has America’s backing” in a post on Truth Social, escalating a war of words that culminated in a stunning public clash between the two leaders at the White House on Friday.

The decision to suspend the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars in arms and ammunition that are in the pipeline is likely to deal a serious blow to Ukraine’s efforts to repel Russia’s invasion.

While the US Congress has not approved any new military aid beyond the tens of billions of dollars already committed to Ukraine since Trump’s inauguration in January, former US President Joe Biden approved transfers to continue supplying equipment for at least several years.

The US has appropriated $182.8bn in response to Moscow’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to the US Department of Defense, though that figure includes broader spending related to security, such as US military training in Europe.

Before Trump’s order, Washington was on track to supply monthly deliveries worth $920m this year, up from $500m in 2024, according to an analysis by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies and International Studies.

The fresh nadir in US-Ukraine relations comes after Trump took issue with Zelenskyy’s suggestion that the end of his country’s war against Russia’s invading forces was likely still “very, very far away“.

Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said the Ukrainian leader “better not be right” and that the war should “end fast”.

“If somebody doesn’t want to make a deal, I think that person won’t be around very long,” Trump said. “That person will not be listened to very long.”

Speaking on X after Trump’s latest criticism, Zelenskyy did not directly refer to the US president’s remarks but said Kyiv would continue to work with partners.

“We have already had talks and other steps to come soon. It is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest 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 to guarantee security. We are working together with America and our European partners and very much hope on US support on the path to peace. Peace is needed as soon as possible.”