The Trump administration has suspended financing for new weapons sales to Ukraine and is contemplating halting arms shipments from US stockpiles, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Monday. The decision follows the administration’s recent freeze on foreign aid, as cited by current and former US officials.
Timing Amid Diplomatic Tensions
The potential disruption to the primary arms transfer pipeline comes just days after a tense meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. The meeting reportedly ended on a contentious note, with Zelenskyy expressing doubts that Trump’s efforts to broker peace in the three-year-long conflict between Ukraine and Russia would yield lasting results.
Following the disagreement, Zelenskyy left the White House, prompting the cancellation of a planned signing ceremony for a deal on critical minerals and a joint press conference.
Trump’s Response and Conditional Support to Ukraine
During a press briefing at the White House, when asked whether the US would end military aid to Ukraine, President Trump stated, “I haven’t even talked about that right now.” Earlier the same day, Trump warned that continued US support for Ukraine may not extend “much longer” unless Zelenskyy showed greater willingness to expedite peace negotiations with Russia.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the White House is holding internal discussions to consider suspending arms shipments through the drawdown authority. The report cited a congressional aide and another person familiar with the matter. The State Department declined to comment on the report.
Zelenskyy’s Appeal for Continued Support to Ukraine
Shortly after Trump’s remarks, Zelenskyy expressed optimism for continued US backing in securing peace. The Ukrainian leader emphasized Ukraine’s close cooperation with Washington and European partners in ending the war.
“We are working together with America and our European partners and very much hope on US support on the path to peace,” Zelenskyy posted on X, highlighting the importance of real security guarantees.
