U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a pause on U.S. military aid to Ukraine on Monday.
The decision came just days after a tense and chaotic White House meeting between Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The meeting, which was livestreamed globally, highlighted growing tensions between the two leaders over the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Monday Trump Halts Aid to Ukraine
The decision to withhold aid followed a series of high-level discussions at the White House, where top national security officials debated the impact of continued support for Ukraine.
The halt-in-aid was intended to remain in effect until Trump determined that Zelensky was making a serious commitment to peace negotiations.
Tuesday Zelensky Backs Down After Days of Defiance
Just hours after the aid suspension, Zelensky made a dramatic shift in tone. On Tuesday afternoon, he publicly declared Ukraine’s commitment to peace:
“I would like to reiterate Ukraine’s commitment to peace. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.”
