Trump halts Ukraine military aid after clash

U.S. President Donald Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine following his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week.

That’s according to a White House official, who, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said:

"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."

"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." 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. The move deepens the rift that has opened between the two one-time allies.

It comes after Trump upended U.S. policy on Ukraine and Russia upon taking office in January in taking a friendlier approach to Moscow.

And after an explosive confrontation with Zelenskiy at the White House in which Trump criticized him for being insufficiently grateful for Washington's backing in the war with Russia. Since Russia's invasion nearly three years ago the U.S. Congress has approved $175 billion in total assistance for Ukraine, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

The announced pause in military aid applies mainly to aid that had been previously approved but not yet disbursed. Trump has not approved any new aid since his term began. However, he suggested that a deal to open up Ukraine's minerals to U.S. investment could still be on the table.

The Trump administration views a minerals deal as America's way of earning back some of the aid given to Ukraine since Russia invaded three years ago.