U.S. halts all military aid to Ukraine after Trump-Zelenskyy clash

The Trump administration has halted all U.S. military aid to Ukraine, a White House official confirmed, blocking billions in critical shipments as Washington ramps up pressure on Kyiv to negotiate peace with Vladimir Putin.

The suspension affects deliveries of ammunition, military vehicles, and other defense equipment, including shipments approved under the previous Biden administration. The move comes in the wake of a heated White House meeting on Friday, where President Donald Trump reportedly told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he was “gambling with” a third world war. Zelenskyy was instructed to return "when he is ready for peace," signaling a dramatic shift in U.S. policy.

A senior administration official told Fox News that the aid freeze is a “pause, not a permanent termination.” However, Bloomberg reported that all military equipment not yet inside Ukraine—including weapons in transit via aircraft, ships, and staging areas in Poland—would be held back. Trump has reportedly directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to implement the decision.

The policy shift was decided in a high-level White House meeting attended by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. “The president has been clear that he is focused on peace,” a White House official told the Washington Post. “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.”

Since Russia’s invasion nearly three years ago, the U.S. has approved $175 billion in total assistance to Ukraine, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. In his final weeks in office, former President Joe Biden authorized an additional $5.9 billion in security and budget aid.

Beyond military support, U.S. assistance also funds Ukraine’s government operations, helping pay teachers' and doctors' salaries through programs managed by the World Bank and USAID—programs that have now been severely restricted under the Trump administration.