By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump on Tuesday has paused all aid to Ukraine till as much time as it takes to determine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s commitment to end the war with Russia according to multiple US media reports.
Media reports cited unidentified officials Fox News reported the order is coming shortly.
Trump addressed the issue of Ukraine in a joint session of the US Congress on Tuesday evening, hours after his tariff hikes of 25 per cent go into effect on imports from Canada and Mexico, and 20 per cent on goods from China.
Trump said, “I just think you should be more appreciative because this country has stuck with them through thick and thin,” asked at a White House what it would take to resume negotiations with Ukraine for a deal to secure rights to the country’s vast resources of rare earth minerals after it broke down in a fiery exchange with President Zelensky at an Oval Office meeting,
On President Zelensky’s comments in London that he fears the war with Russia is going to last a long time, President Trump said he hoped the Ukrainian leader was not right.
He said Russia wants to end the war and so do the people of Ukraine, seeking to put distance between Zelensky and his country, a line that is playing out prominently amongst his Republican support base.
Trump had called Zelensky a dictator some weeks ago and suggested he was not calling for elections because he feared losing.
Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator who has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine’s fight back against the 2022 Russian invasion but who is also known to be a fickle ally and friend at home and abroad, called for Zelensky to step down.
Zelensky has said he only answers to Ukrainian voters, offered Graham Ukrainian citizenship so he could actually vote to oust him.
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