KYIV, Ukraine — The U.S. halt on military aid to Ukraine led news broadcasts across the country on Tuesday, as officials in Kyiv warned of worsening battlefield conditions without American support.
Quoting a source familiar with the situation, Reuters reported that military aid shipments to Ukraine stopped early Tuesday morning, around 3:30 a.m. local time (0130 GMT). The pause follows President Donald Trump’s shift in U.S. policy toward Ukraine and Russia, as he has sought a more conciliatory stance toward Moscow since taking office in January.
The White House has stated that aid will not resume unless Ukrainian leaders commit to peace negotiations. Trump himself will determine whether President Volodymyr Zelensky is making a genuine effort toward a settlement, administration officials told CNN and Reuters.
Zelensky, however, has insisted that Ukraine remains committed to peace but requires security guarantees before any negotiations.
“We are working on every scenario to protect Ukraine,” Zelensky said in a video statement posted to social media. “Our fundamental goal is to hold the front lines and create conditions for meaningful diplomacy to achieve a lasting peace. We need real, just peace—not an endless war—and we need security guarantees.”
The Ukrainian leader argued that the lack of such guarantees allowed Russia to annex Crimea in 2014 and seize parts of eastern Ukraine.
Tensions between Trump and Zelensky
The aid suspension comes just days after a heated exchange between Trump and Zelensky at the White House. During their meeting on February 28, Trump reportedly criticized Zelensky for failing to show sufficient gratitude for American military support.
Meanwhile, J.D. Vance, Trump’s vice president-elect, told Fox News that economic benefits for the U.S. should be considered a form of security guarantee in Ukraine. He also called on European nations to push Zelensky toward ending the war.
Zelensky had traveled to Washington last week to sign agreements granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources and ports, but the White House meeting turned confrontational, according to reports.
Impact on the war
Before the freeze, the U.S. was providing Ukraine with an estimated $920 million in military aid per month. Trump has claimed that Washington has provided over $340 billion in assistance since the war began, though independent estimates differ.
The Kiel Institute for the World Economy, which tracks aid to Ukraine, has reported that total U.S. assistance amounts to $118 billion, while the Pentagon has estimated the figure at around $183 billion.
With U.S. support now on hold, Ukraine’s front-line forces—already facing ammunition shortages, particularly in artillery—could see their defenses weaken further.
Military analysts told Ukrainian media that, without American aid, Ukraine may only be able to hold its defensive positions for two to four months before facing significant setbacks.
