A Trump administration official revealed that President Trump would meet with his top national security advisers on 3 March to consider “suspending or canceling American military aid to Ukraine,” The New York Times reported on 2 March.
The meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on 3 March will address “a range of policy options for Ukraine,” including potentially halting “final shipments of ammunition and equipment authorized and paid for during the Biden administration,” according to the official who spoke anonymously to the Times.
The idea to halt aid for Ukraine came after a Trump-Zelenskyy meeting in the White House, which ended with a heated argument about the deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war and security guarantees for Ukraine.
The US Vice President accused the Ukrainian President of not being grateful for US aid and for the invitation to the Oval Office. After the meeting, the US and Ukraine were supposed to sign a mineral deal; however, Trump told Zelenskyy to leave the White House.
Following the tipping point, the European leaders gathered in London on 2 March to form what the British PM Starmer called a “coalition of the willing” to develop a peace plan for Ukraine.
The London gathering, which included leaders from 18 countries such as French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, demonstrated European solidarity with Ukraine.
“We are at a crossroads in history,” Starmer said. “Europe must do the heavy lifting.”
The British leader expressed belief that despite Trump’s anger toward Zelenskyy, the US president remains “committed to a lasting peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia.” Starmer suggested that European nations could use their plan to persuade Trump to commit to American security guarantees.
Starmer also announced plans to allow Ukraine to use £1.6 billion ($2 billion) in British export financing to buy more than 5,000 advanced air defense missiles.
Zelenskyy, speaking to reporters after the London meeting, acknowledged tensions but expressed optimism about his relationship with Trump. “I think our relationship will continue,” he said.
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