US Suspends Assistance to Ukraine, Reports Indicate
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Synopsis
On March 4, multiple US media sources reported that President Trump has halted all aid to Ukraine until the commitment of President Zelensky to end the war with Russia is confirmed. The decision follows a heated exchange between the two leaders.
Key Takeaways
- US President Donald Trump pauses aid to Ukraine.
- Decision linked to President Zelensky's commitment to end the war with Russia.
- Trump to address the situation in Congress.
- Contentious meeting between Trump and Zelensky recently occurred.
- Senator Lindsey Graham calls for Zelensky's resignation.
Washington, March 4 (NationPress) US President Donald Trump has suspended all assistance to Ukraine until it is determined how committed President Volodymyr Zelensky is to concluding the conflict with Russia, according to various US media outlets.
Fox News, citing unnamed sources, reported that this directive is expected to be issued soon.
President Trump plans to discuss the situation in Ukraine during his address to a joint session of the US Congress on Tuesday evening, just hours after announcing his tariff increases of 25 percent on imports from Canada and Mexico, and 20 percent on products from China.
When questioned at the White House about what would be needed to restart negotiations with Ukraine — aimed at securing rights to the country's significant reserves of rare earth minerals following a heated exchange with President Zelensky in the Oval Office, Trump remarked, “I believe you should show more gratitude because this nation has supported them unwaveringly.”
In response to President Zelensky’s remarks in London expressing concerns that the war with Russia may drag on, President Trump expressed hope that the Ukrainian leader was mistaken. He added that Russia seeks to conclude the conflict, as do the citizens of Ukraine, attempting to create a division between Zelensky and his nation, a narrative that resonates with his Republican support base.
Previously, Trump had labeled Zelensky a dictator, suggesting that he was avoiding elections due to fears of defeat.
Following the contentious meeting in the Oval Office, Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator who has been an ardent supporter of Ukraine’s resistance against the 2022 Russian invasion but is also noted for being an unreliable ally, called for Zelensky's resignation.
Zelensky, who states he is accountable only to Ukrainian voters, proposed Graham Ukrainian citizenship so he could actually vote to remove him.
