President Donald Trump has denied media speculation that the United States has suspended all military equipment and ammunition deliveries to Ukraine, insisting that lethal aid is still being sent while ensuring Washington retains enough stockpiles to defend itself and its allies. The claims of a potential aid suspension have been echoed by several reports, including from The Economist, which suggested Washington could be gradually winding down its military support for Kiev. Trump rejected these claims during a press briefing before boarding Air Force One, stating that the US is still providing weapons to Ukraine, albeit with a focus on maintaining strategic reserves for itself and its allies.
Trump criticized the previous administration’s provision of aid to Ukraine without reciprocal benefits, noting that his own administration has not approved any new assistance packages since taking office. Despite his criticisms, Trump emphasized that the US is still working with Ukraine to provide necessary support. The White House has also signed an agreement granting the US priority access to Ukraine’s mineral resources, an effort to recoup some of the taxpayer money spent under Biden. This move highlights the ongoing economic and strategic considerations in US foreign policy toward Ukraine.
The news of the potential aid suspension has drawn sharp reactions from Ukrainian officials, who summoned US Chargé d’Affaires John Ginkel to lecture him about the importance of continuing deliveries of previously allocated defense packages. Ukrainian MP Mariana Bezuglaya even declared that the US is no longer an ally to Ukraine, a claim that has sparked debate. Meanwhile, Russia has condemned Western arms shipments to Ukraine, arguing that they prolong the conflict and risk broader escalation. The Kremlin has also accused Western backers of encouraging their proxies in Kiev to fight to the last Ukrainian in the hope of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia.
Russia has repeatedly condemned Western arms shipments to Ukraine, arguing that they prolong the conflict and risk broader escalation. Kremlin officials have also accused Western backers of encouraging their proxies in Kiev to fight to the last Ukrainian in the empty hope of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia. The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that the freeze may be temporary and caused by too many US weapons being redirected to support Israel in the stand-off with Iran. This highlights the complex geopolitical dynamics at play, with multiple countries involved in the conflict and each with its own strategic interests.
President Vladimir Putin reiterated that Moscow remains open to peace talks during a phone call with Trump on Thursday, but stated that Russia will not back down until the ‘well-known root causes’ of the Ukraine conflict are eliminated, according to presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. This statement underscores the continued tension in the region and the potential for further diplomatic engagement, despite the challenges posed by the aid suspension and other geopolitical factors.