Ukraine-Russia conflict newest: Trump suspends US army assist to Kyiv after explosive White Home row with Zelensky

Commenting on Trump’s suspension of assist to Ukraine, Ed Davey, Chief of the Liberal Democrats, stated:

“By suspending all army assist to Ukraine, Donald Trump has humiliated the individuals who pretended he was a dependable ally solely in the hunt for peace.

“The UK and Europe should seize frozen Russian property to withstand Putin’s unjust and savage conflict.”

Politicians in Europe and the US are reacting with concern to the Trump administration’s monumental choice to chop army assist to Ukraine.

“On the floor, this seems to be actually dangerous. It seems to be like he’s pushing us in direction of capitulation, that means (accepting) Russia’s calls for,” says Oleksandr Merezhko, the top of Ukraine’s International Affairs Committee. “To cease assist now means to assist Putin.”

US senator Jeanne Shaheen says Donald Trump has “kicked the door broad open for Putin to escalate his violent aggression”, including that the repercussions will likely be “devastating”.

And French junior minister for Europe Benjamin Haddad has stated the choice makes peace “extra distant” as a result of it “strengthens the hand of the aggressor on the bottom”.

However Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, who has been crucial of the EU’s assist for Ukraine and is positioning himself as an ally of Mr Trump, says his authorities shares the “similar stance” because the US.

The French authorities has stated that the US choice to pause army assist to Ukraine makes peace “extra distant”.

Benjamin Haddad, the junior minister for Europe, is quoted by Reuters saying “Essentially, in order for you peace, does a choice to droop arms to Ukraine reinforce peace or does it make it extra distant? It makes it extra distant, as a result of it solely strengthens the hand of the aggressor on the bottom, which is Russia”. Haddad was talking to France 2.

Poland’s deputy defence minister Cezary Tomczyk has additionally described the transfer as “dangerous information”

The Trump choice to droop army assist to Kyiv seems to halt arms deliveries accredited beneath the administration of Joe Biden, however it was not clear whether or not deliveries of ammunition for weapons techniques already in Ukraine can be affected.

“I really feel betrayed, however this sense will not be actually deep for some motive. I used to be anticipating one thing like that from Trump’s facet,” stated a Ukrainian soldier combating in Russia’s Kursk area, the place Ukraine launched a daring army incursion in August 2024 to enhance its hand in negotiations. The soldier spoke on situation of anonymity to talk freely about his ideas as he was not approved to talk to the press.

Donald Trump’s pause of all army assist to Ukraine seems to be like he’s attempting to push Kyiv in direction of capitulation on Russia’s phrases, a senior Ukrainian MP has stated.

“To cease assist now means to assist [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,” Oleksandr Merezhko, the chair of Ukraine’s Parliamentary International Affairs Committee, informed Reuters.

“On the floor, this seems to be actually dangerous. It seems to be like he’s pushing us in direction of capitulation, that means [accepting] Russia’s calls for,” he stated.

The help pause got here after Trump had an explosive confrontation with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on the White Home on Friday by which Trump accused him of being insufficiently grateful for Washington’s backing within the conflict with Russia.

“The primary factor is that this a psychological blow, a political blow upon Ukraine, it does not assist our spirit” Mr Merezhko stated.

He in contrast the help stoppage to the Munich Settlement of 1938, when Nazi Germany was allowed to annex a part of Czechoslovakia.

“That is worse than Munich, as a result of at the least there they did not attempt to paint Czechoslovakia because the aggressor, however right here they attempt to accuse the sufferer of aggression – this can be very harmful.”

Ukraine is dedicated to intensive diplomacy to deliver a fast finish to the three-year-old conflict with Russia, Volodymyr Zelensky has stated.

The Ukrainian president careworn that he hoped to have the ability to depend on US assist in securing peace.

“It is vitally necessary that we attempt to make our diplomacy actually substantive to finish this conflict the soonest potential,” Mr Zelensky wrote on X.

“We’re working along with America and our European companions and really a lot hope for US assist on the trail to peace. Peace is required as quickly as potential,” he stated.

Mr Zelensky’s statements got here after Donald Trump instructed his persistence was working out with the Ukrainian chief.

It was a Ukrainian concern that has been simmering for months however one Kyiv hoped it may allay with diplomacy.

Under, Tom Watling seems to be at simply how consequential that might be – and what weapons the US has been sending to Ukraine:

Democrats have stated that the pausing of US army assist to Ukraine is harmful and ill-advised.

Democratic consultant Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, who’s co-chair of the Congressional EU Caucus, stated the choice “is reckless, indefensible, and a direct menace to our nationwide safety”.

“The Biden administration supplied Kyiv with greater than $66.5bn in army assist and weapons for the reason that conflict started. It had left unspent about $3.85bn in congressionally authorised funding to ship extra weapons to Ukraine from current US stockpiles – a sum that had not been affected by the overseas assist freeze that Trump put in place when he first took workplace,” he stated in an announcement.

“This assist was accredited by Congress on a bipartisan foundation – Republicans and Democrats alike recognised that standing with Ukraine is standing for democracy and in opposition to Putin’s aggression,” Mr Boyle stated.

“But, Trump, who has repeatedly praised Putin and undermined our allies, is now enjoying political video games with crucial army help.”

Democratic consultant Dan Goldman, who served as counsel to Home Democrats within the first impeachment inquiry in opposition to Mr Trump, stated the pausing of assist was “one other extortion” of Zelensky.

“That is the precise reverse of peace by power,” Mr Goldman stated.

“As a substitute, what it’s is it is one other extortion of president Zelensky, illegally withholding assist so as to get president Zelensky to conform to a minerals deal,” he stated.