Trump orders pause on military aid to Ukraine after Oval Office argument with Zelenskyy

Donald Trump has paused all military aid to Ukraine following the disastrous meeting in the Oval Office with President Zelenskyy.

Presidents Zelenskyy and Trump during their heated meeting at The White House. Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

A White House official confirmed the decision on Monday, stating that the aid would remain frozen until Zelenskyy commits to peace talks, per CNN.

"The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. 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 official said.

The halt applies to all military equipment not yet inside Ukraine, including advanced US weaponry that has been instrumental in allowing Kyiv to strike deep into Russian territory.

Western officials estimate that while Ukraine can sustain its current fighting pace for a few weeks, the effects of the freeze will eventually weaken their defenses, potentially forcing them into an unfavorable peace settlement.

Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine. Credit: China News Service / Getty

The decision follows a disastrous meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy at the White House, where the conversation reportedly spiraled into chaos.

Trump berated Zelenskyy for not showing gratitude for US support and accused him of being unwilling to negotiate a ceasefire.

"You have to be thankful. You don’t have the cards. You’re buried there. Your people are dying. You’re running low on soldiers," Trump told Zelenskyy, according to sources familiar with the discussion.

The former president then issued an ultimatum: "You're either gonna make a deal or we're out. And if we're out, you'll fight it out."

Vice President J.D. Vance also criticized Zelenskyy’s conduct, saying: "Mr. President, with respect. I think it's disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media."

Following the meeting, Trump took to his Truth Social platform, calling the conversation "very meaningful" but slamming Zelenskyy as "not ready for Peace if America is involved."

He further declared: "I don’t want advantage, I want peace. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace."

The confrontation quickly became a hot topic on social media, with footage of Ukraine’s ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, going viral.

Caught on camera, Markarova appeared visibly exasperated, holding her head in her hand as the meeting unfolded.

Public reaction was sharply divided. One person wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "I feel for Ukraine, such disrespect and bullying behavior from the US. Impressive that President Zelenskyy managed to stay so calm."

Another commented: "Please know this conversation is completely disgusting to a vast number of Americans. It is not representative of the whole of our Nation."

It's unclear if Europe can support Ukraine without the US. Credit: Andrew Harnik / Getty

However, Trump supporters defended the move, with one writing: "It’s a great day for Ukraine. They should all thank Donald Trump."

The decision to freeze military aid has drawn criticism from US allies, with European officials warning of its consequences.

"There is a capability gap that Europe cannot fill alone," one US official admitted, while a European diplomat called the move "petty and wrong."

Another official predicted that without continued US support, Ukraine could run out of air defense missiles, leading to unnecessary civilian casualties.

Military analysts say that Ukraine could feel the effects of the freeze within two to four months, depending on how much aid European nations can provide in the meantime.

Featured image credit: China News Service / Getty