On March 3, Donald Trump ordered the suspension of all military aid to Ukraine.
The decision to suspend military assistance comes after a public verbal altercation at the Oval Office between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and JD Vance, along with Trump. The latter two accused the wartime leader of not demonstrating enough gratitude for American assistance. This is despite the fact that Zelensky has thanked the United States dozens of times, including after Trump’s return to the White House.
The buildup to this decision comes before the infamous Oval Office argument. Six days after a phone call with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on February 12, Trump denounced Zelensky as a “dictator” and blamed Ukraine for starting the war. Both claims are false.
Also last month, Trump pressured Zelensky to call a special election to replace him as Ukraine’s president. It is illegal for Ukraine to hold elections as a result of wartime martial law. The war started on February 27, 2014, when Russia illegally invaded and annexed Crimea. Zelensky won election during a years-long ceasefire.
Trump’s stance on military aid to Ukraine has been inconsistent. In 2017, Trump gave the green light to provide Ukraine with Javelin anti-tank missiles. This goodwill toward an American ally deteriorated when Trump’s offer of a quid pro quo with Ukraine was rejected. Military assistance was made conditional to dirt on Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. After the deal was rejected, Trump held up $400 million worth of military aid to Ukraine.
The future of military assistance to Ukraine is unclear.
