Trump administration puts temporary pause on assistance to Ukraine
The United States government has provided Ukraine with more than $175 billion worth of assistance since Russia invaded it over three years ago.
Yet in a move which is certain to leave Democrats raging, President Donald Trump has pulled the plug on new aid.
White House official says pause in aid "is not permanent termination"
That's according to Fox News, which cited multiple Trump administration officials who pointed to a conflict of vision between the president and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"This is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause," one White House figure was quoted as saying. "The orders are going out right now."
However, another senior official made a point of stressing how "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 official emphasized.
Trump says Zelenskyy "should be more appreciative" for American help
Fox News noted that for his part, Trump questioned during a briefing with reporters on Monday whether Zelenskyy has been sufficiently grateful to the United States.
"I just think he should be more appreciative because this country has stuck with him through thick and thin," the president was quoted as telling journalists.
"We’ve given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more than us because, as you know, that’s right there, that’s the border," Trump added.
Zelenskyy touts "strong relations" between the United States and Ukraine
"Yes, of course, because it's relations more than two presidents. It's the historical relations, strong relations between our people, and that's why I always began… to thank your people from our people," Zelenskyy told Baier.
President Zelenskyy is asked if he regrets how his heated Oval Office meeting with President Trump transpired during an exclusive "Special Report" interview with @BretBaier. pic.twitter.com/9iMivpwzHs
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 1, 2025
The Ukrainian leader went on to say that he is "thankful to the president, and, of course, to Congress, but first of all, to your people."
"Your people helped save our people… we wanted very much to have all these strong relations, and where it counted, we will have it," Zelenskyy insisted.
