On February 28, following a tense meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, the Trump Administration decided to halt all military aid to Ukraine.
The Pentagon stated that the aid would only be restored if the Ukrainian leadership demonstrated a commitment to peace.
According to the decision, the supply of all U.S. military equipment that has not yet been delivered to Ukraine, including weapons being transported on aircraft and ships or awaiting at transit points in Poland, will be suspended.
Reasons behind the decision
It is believed that there are various reasons behind this decision. Among these reasons could be Trump's aim to pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to start peace talks with Russia, Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance's view that Zelenskyy did not express sufficient gratitude for the support provided by the U.S. and did not make enough effort to achieve peace, and so on.
Ukrainian political scientist Valeriy Dymov, in an interview with APA, noted that Trump aims to force Ukraine to agree to his terms: "President Trump's decision can not be considered a fundamental change in U.S. politics. The main reason for this, of course, is Donald Trump's attempt to pressure Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The U.S. leader has been trying to apply this pressure since the early days when discussions were held about signing a large contract for rare earth metals. However, he has not succeeded. Trump does not take Ukraine's interests into account at all, and he provides no guarantees. Moreover, Donald Trump has yet to present the peace plan he frequently talks about. Trump is simply trying to force Ukraine into negotiations with Russia with just one word."
Effects of the decision on Ukraine's defense capability
U.S. military aid to Ukraine significantly increased after Russia launched its large-scale military operations against Ukraine in 2022. This aid was aimed at strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities and preserving its sovereignty. The sudden suspension of this aid can weaken Ukraine's defensive position.
A Ukrainian expert stated that during the first six months of the war, the U.S. did not allocate any aid to Ukraine, yet neither the frontlines were shaken nor the defense line collapsed.
"We were able to stand firm thanks to our European partners and other countries. I believe a similar situation will also arise now. This is war, it is human life; it is losses. Indeed, European partners will not be able to get 100% of the aid suspended by the U.S.. Therefore, Ukraine will seek relevant help and support from other countries. This could extend to cooperation with Japan and South Korea, which have always maintained intensive humanitarian relations with Ukraine. At the same time, there is Türkiye and many other countries with a developed military-industrial complex. Our allies exist even beyond the borders of Europe," he emphasized.
Dymov also highlighted the technological leap in drone production in Ukraine today: "Ukraine's drone production is greater than Russia's. The HIMARS rockets made in the U.S. can be compensated by Ukraine's unmanned aviation with the same capabilities. In this matter, Europeans will help us a lot."