President Donald Trump is pausing military aid to Ukraine after last week’s confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, widening a division between the two countries over how to end the conflict with Russia.
The administration wants to ensure military aid is contributing to a resolution to the conflict, and it will be reviewed with that goal in mind, two White House officials confirmed to USA TODAY.
Withholding aid is the latest sign that the relationship between the Trump administration and Ukrainian leadership has deteriorated. Trump has called for a ceasefire and pushed Zelenskyy to make a peace deal three years after Russia invaded the country.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance clashed dramatically with the Ukrainian leader in the Oval Office Friday after Zelenskyy complained about Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy was asked to leave the White House and a planned news conference was canceled. The shocking public confrontation roiled global politics, with European leaders rallying around Ukraine.
Tensions had been building for weeks
The U.S. recently held ceasefire talks with Russian leaders that did not include Ukrainian officials.
Trump was deeply critical of Zelenskyy in the weeks leading up to the Oval Office clash, falsely labeling him a “dictator,” blaming Ukrainian leaders for Russia’s invasion, and incorrectly claiming the Ukrainian president only has 4% support in opinion polls, while offering friendlier words about Putin.
At one point last month, Zelenskyy responded: “I would like to have more truth with the Trump team” adding, that Trump is living in a “web of disinformation.”
The simmering conflict between the two leaders boiled over last week in the dramatic clash at the White House. Trump had been pushing Zelenskyy to sign a mineral rights deal, which was supposed to happen Friday.