Trump pauses aid to Ukraine, may reduce sanctions on Russia: All we know

The decision to pause Ukraine's military aid comes days after US President Donald Trump's televised Oval Office blowout with his counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy

US President Donald Trump on Monday (EST) ordered a pause on all military aid to Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia. On the other hand, a report by Reuters suggests that Trump is planning to ease some sanctions on Russia imposed by the previous Joe Biden administration.

 

  The decision to pause Ukraine's military aid comes days after Trump's televised Oval Office blowout with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, casting doubts on the support from one of the most crucial allies of Ukraine.

 

According to a Bloomberg report, a defence department official stated, "The US is pausing all current military aid to Ukraine until Trump determines the country’s leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace." The official also stated that all the military equipment which are not in Ukraine currently will be paused, which includes, 'weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting in transit areas in Poland,' according to the order that has been passed on to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

 

 

What has happened so far

 

Trump, during his 2024 election campaign, vowed to end the Russia-Ukraine war quickly.

 

In a meeting at the White House on February 28, Zelenskyy was rebuked by Trump and his deputy JD Vance after he stated that there was "no room for compromise with the Russian President." Trump and Vance slammed Zelenskyy for not showing "enough gratitude" to the US for its financial support since Russia invaded the nation in 2022.

 

In the run-up to Zelenskyy's meeting with Trump, the latter accused him of "gambling with World War III" and also called him a "dictator."

 

Following their meeting, Zelenskyy, on Monday, said he was willing to meet Trump if the latter invites him again to "solve real problems." The Ukrainian president also said that his nation was willing to accept a minerals deal with the US that was put on hold last week.

 

Later in the day, Trump took a shot at Zelenskyy over his stance on a ceasefire with Russia. Reacting to Zelenskyy's tweet on "end of the war with Russia is very, very far away," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, "This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer."

 

Trump softens stance on Russia?

 

While Trump has openly expressed his frustration with Zelenskyy, his recent statements suggest a softening stance on Russia. According to a Reuters report, the White House has asked State and Treasury departments to draft a list of sanctions that could be eased. The previous Biden administration had announced over 500 sanctions on Russia, ranging from commodities like crude oil to food crops and certain individuals. The list will be taken up between US and Russian officials in the coming days as the former aims to improve its economic and diplomatic relations with Moscow. The report also suggests that the sanctions will be eased on select individuals and entities, including some oligarchs.

 

On Monday, Trump said his primary concern was not Russian President Vladimir Putin but curbing illegal immigration to prevent the country from following Europe's path. He has also expressed confidence in Putin to "keep the peace" if the truce is reached.

 

However, he also went on to say that his administration had given Russia "nothing except grief." Contrasting his approach with past US Presidents, Trump said that while previous Presidents like George W Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden let Russia take significant control of things, including Georgia, the submarine base for the military, he did not let Russia take anything.

 

Trump further stated that reaching a deal between Russia and Ukraine will be possible if all relevant parties, including European nations, are willing to negotiate.

 

(With inputs from agencies)