Trump administration pauses U.S. navy support to Ukraine

The Trump administration has paused U.S. navy support to Ukraine, the White Home confirmed Monday. It is the most recent fallout days after a contentious assembly between President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the White Home erupted into an open dispute in entrance of TV cameras.

“The president has been clear that he’s targeted on peace,” a White Home official informed CBS Information. “We want our companions to be dedicated to that purpose as properly. We’re pausing and reviewing our support to make sure that it’s contributing to an answer.”  

The U.S. has been a key provider of weapons for Ukraine because it continues to fend off Russian troops three years after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion three years in the past. However Mr. Trump’s return to workplace has introduced a marked shift in U.S. coverage towards the battle, with the president blaming Ukraine for the battle Russia began.

Friday’s assembly, which was meant to precede the signing of an financial and minerals settlement between the U.S. and Ukraine, devolved right into a confrontation. 

Mr. Trump informed Zelenskyy to achieve a ceasefire settlement with Russia or “we’re out,” and Vance accused the Ukrainian president of being “disrespectful” after he challenged the vice chairman’s assertion that the battle had dragged on due to a scarcity of diplomacy from Ukraine and the Biden administration. The assembly abruptly ended with out signing the uncommon earth minerals deal, and several other White Home officers informed CBS Information that the way forward for navy support for Ukraine was unsure.

Since Mr. Trump took workplace in January, $3.85 billion has been accessible in drawdown authority for weaponry that may be pulled from present U.S. stockpiles and despatched to Ukraine, U.S. officers beforehand informed CBS Information. However the Trump administration has not packaged any of that support for a single cargo since Jan. 21, a diplomatic supply informed CBS Information Monday. Nonetheless, there have been shipments of weapons despatched to Ukraine since Jan. 20 that had been promised by the Biden administration in earlier drawdowns, in keeping with protection officers.

The $3.85 billion is spending authority, not congressionally appropriated funds, which suggests it is as much as the White Home to find out whether or not to launch the help. It is usually not thought-about “actual cash,” which means it can’t be spent elsewhere.

Individually, the State Division additionally has about $1.5 billion in international navy financing for Ukraine that’s beneath a coverage assessment by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. To date, the Trump State Division has solely given Egypt and Israel waivers for FMF help.

After Friday’s assembly, Zelenskyy traveled to London for a summit with European and Canadian leaders, the place he careworn the significance of Western safety ensures as a part of any settlement that might carry the battle to an finish. He mentioned in Ukrainian that peace with Russia was “nonetheless very, very distant,” however he thought that Ukraine-U.S. relations would maintain. 

Mr. Trump later posted a hyperlink to an Related Press story overlaying Zelenskyy’s feedback and wrote, “That is the worst assertion that might have been made by Zelenskyy, and America is not going to put up with it for for much longer!” 

“It’s what I used to be saying, this man would not need there to be Peace so long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, within the assembly that they had with Zelenskyy, said flatly that they can’t do the job with out the U.S. – Most likely not an awesome assertion to have been made when it comes to a present of energy in opposition to Russia. What are they pondering?” Mr. Trump added.

Mr. Trump’s hardened stance on Ukraine has rankled some GOP lawmakers.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins, of Maine, mentioned Monday, “I don’t assume we ought to be pausing our efforts. It is the Ukrainians who’re shedding blood. It’s Putin who launched an unprovoked and unjustified assault on a free, democratic and sovereign nation. And I’m not backing off my help for Ukraine.”

Earlier than the Trump administration’s announcement Monday, Sen. Mike Rounds, a Republican from South Dakota who serves on the Armed Providers Committee, mentioned of Ukraine, “I am going to merely say that we have got to get again on monitor once more.” 

“It’s vital that we get a minerals settlement put collectively and that we work on getting a safety settlement with Ukraine,” Rounds informed reporters on the Capitol. “They’ve been attacked. Russia is within the improper, however we need to discover a pathway to peace, and meaning anyone has received to be the middleman. I do not know if the president needs to be that. We have to give him the chance, however Russia is the aggressor, and we’ve got to acknowledge that.”

Mr. Trump mentioned final month that he had a “prolonged and extremely productive cellphone name” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has additionally directed Rubio and different members of his nationwide safety group to “instantly” start negotiations aimed toward ending Russia’s battle with Ukraine.

However Rubio mentioned in February there was “an extended methods to go” earlier than peace talks might start. 

Delegations led by Rubio and Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, shortly after these feedback, with out Ukrainian officers current. State Division spokesperson Tammy Bruce mentioned after the assembly that Rubio and Lavrov had agreed to nominate “high-level groups to start engaged on a path to ending the battle in Ukraine as quickly as doable in a means that’s enduring, sustainable, and acceptable to all sides.”

contributed to this report.