WASHINGTON, D.C., March 5 ------ United States President Donald Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine following his clash with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky last week, a White House official said, deepening the fissure that has opened between the one-time allies. Trump upended US policy on Ukraine and Russia upon retaking office on Jan. 20, opening talks with Moscow. The reversal culminated in an explosive confrontation with Zelensky at the White House last Friday, in which Trump upbraided him for being insufficiently grateful for Washington's backing. "President Trump 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," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The White House had no immediate comment on the scope and amount of aid affected or how long the pause would last. The Pentagon could not provide further details. There was no immediate response from Zelensky, but Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the Ukrainian parliament's foreign affairs committee, said it looked like Trump was "pushing us toward capitulation."
Democratic lawmakers were furious. "By freezing military aid to Ukraine, President Trump has kicked the door wide open for Putin to escalate his violent aggression against innocent Ukrainians. The repercussions will undoubtedly be devastating," said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The move puts more pressure on European allies, led by the United Kingdom and France, whose leaders both visited the White House last week and have publicly embraced Zelensky since the Oval Office blow-up.
Europeans are racing to boost their own military spending and provide alternative support for Kyiv, including a plan to put troops on the ground to support any ceasefire, though they say they still need some form of US support. France condemned Washington's aid cut-off, while the UK was more circumspect. Suspending arms to Ukraine made peace "more distant, because it only strengthens the hand of the aggressor on the ground, which is Russia," said Benjamin Haddad, French junior minister for Europe. A British government spokesman said: "We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. It is the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do so."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled proposals to boost spending on defense in the European Union, which she said could mobilize up to 800 billion euros ($840 billion). On Monday, Trump again said Zelenskyy should be more appreciative of American support after earlier responding angrily to an Associated Press report quoting Zelensky as saying the end of the war was "very, very far away." "This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Minerals deal not dead
Since Russia's invasion began three years ago, the US Congress has approved $175 billion in total assistance for Ukraine, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. The Trump administration inherited $3.85 billion worth of congressionally approved authority to dip into US arms stocks for Ukraine. Monday's move also appeared to halt deliveries of military equipment approved by former president Joe Biden, including munitions, missiles and other systems. Still, Trump suggested on Monday that a deal to open up Ukraine's minerals to US investment could still be agreed. The deal was meant to be signed in Washington on Friday before Zelensky left after the Oval Office bust-up. When asked on Monday if the deal was dead, Trump said at the White House: "No, I don't think so."
In an interview on Fox News, Vice President J.D. Vance called on Zelensky to accept the minerals deal. "If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine," Vance said. Zelensky has made clear that a ceasefire must carry explicit security guarantees from the West to ensure that Russia, which holds about 20 percent of its land, does not attack again. Trump has so far refused to give any such guarantees.
Source: manilatimes.net
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