Donald Trump has made the decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine following a tense meeting with the European country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday (28 February).

The US Government announced the order following a meeting between President Trump and senior advisors on Monday (3 March) to discuss the aid and its future.

The decision came after an argument with President Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, in a meeting in front of the media.

Trump accused Zelenskyy of ‘gambling with WW3’, while Russian officials praised the US President’s handling of the situation, even calling Zelenskyy a ‘scumbag’.

A White House official anonymously revealed to Sky News: “President [Trump] has been clear that he is focused on peace.

“We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that is contributing to a solution.”

There is currently no set length in place, while Ukraine have yet to respond to the move, as the pause will go into effect immediately.

Zelenskyy had recently claimed that peace was ‘very, very far away’, with Trump calling it ‘the worst statement that could have been made’.

Speaking on his on social media platform, Truth Social, the 47th US President said: “America will not put up with it for much longer!”

“It is what I was saying, this guy [Zelenskyy] doesn’t want there to be peace as long as he has America’s backing,” he claimed.

The Presidents were at odds during Friday’s meeting (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

A second White House official stated to Fox News: “This is not permanent termination of aid, it’s a pause,

“The orders are going out right now.”

It had been reported by the New York Times that over $1 billion (£787.3 million) in arms and ammunition will be withheld by the US, with Ukraine now forced to deal with private contractors.

The Biden administration provided Kyiv with over $66.5 billion (£52.3 billion) in military aid since the nation’s war with Russia began.

It left around $3.85 billion (£3 billion) in authorised funding that could send more weapons to Ukraine from existing American stockpiles, which has been left unaffected following the foreign aid freeze Trump put on once he was in office.

While Biden stopped the deliveries of deadly bombs to Israel following concerns in Gaza, Trump has made this move to provide an ultimatum to Zelenskyy, who may face huge losses in the war.

Zelenskyy may be forced to make a decision soon (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

While other members of NATO has promised to help Ukraine following the meeting in the White House last week, none of them have the fire power that the US boasts.

Vice President JD Vance has also spoken out against Zelenskyy, calling him entitled and accusing him of ‘needling’ the US President.

Speaking to Fox News, he explained: “He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that Trump said is the policy,” saying that the meeting ‘really set Zelenskyy off’.

“I really don’t care what President Zelenskyy says about me or anybody else. But he showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump has said is the policy of the American people and of their president,” he further claimed.

Russian figures have been rubbing their hands together in wake of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s clash with Donald Trump.

All hell broke loose in the Oval Office on Friday (28 February) as the world leaders tried – and failed – to hash out a minerals deal.

Zelenskyy ended up leaving the White House with nothing signed, as Trump let rip and accused the Ukrainian President, 47, of ‘gambling with World War III‘.

“With us, you have the cards,” Trump said. “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people! You’re gambling with World War III! What you’re doing is very disrespectful to this country.”

The US President later shared a statement saying Zelenskyy had ‘disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office’.

As you can imagine, the news of the disastrous meeting has come as music to the ears of Russia – and they aren’t being shy about sharing their glee.

Former President and deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, shared a shocking statement on social media in wake of Trump and Zelenskyy’s spat.

In a post shared on X, he wrote: “The insolent pig finally got a proper slap down in the Oval Office. And @realDonaldTrump is right: The Kiev regime is ‘gambling with WWIII’.”

Medvedev also celebrated Zelenskyy getting a ‘brutal dressing down in the Oval Office’ in a Telegram post, according to Reuters.

Russian politicians have been reacting to the clash between Zelenskyy and Trump (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also shared her thoughts on the controversy and bizarrely praised Trump for showing ‘restraint’ and not using violence against Zelenskyy.

In a Telegram post, she said: “I think Zelensky’s biggest lie of all his lies was his assertion in the White House that the Kyiv regime in 2022 was alone, without support.

“How Trump and Vance held back from hitting that scumbag is a miracle of restraint,” Zakharova added, while saying that Zelenskyy was ‘biting the hand that feeds him’.

She also went on to accuse Zelenskyy of being ‘unpleasant with everyone’.

Russian TV commentator Vladimir Solovyov has also announced that he is working on a special show which will delve into Zelenskyy’s ‘suicide in the White House’.

The Ukrainian President has remained steadfast though, telling Fox News following the meeting with Trump: “I’m not sure we did something bad. I think maybe some things we have to discuss out of media.”

On Sunday (2 March), Keir Starmer will hold talks in Downing Street with Zelenskyy and other European leaders in the hopes of working out how to secure ‘lasting and enforced’ peace in Ukraine.

Russia has responded to President Donald Trump’s decision to pause all military aid to Ukraine.

Last night (3 March) the US Government announced they would be suspending all military aid to the Eastern European country, following a tense meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy just days before.

The US had previously been a huge supporter of the Ukrainian military, following Russia’s 2022 invasion, with the previous Biden administration providing Kyiv with over $66.5 billion (£52.3 billion) in aid.

Russia has now responded to the news, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov calling the move ‘best contribution to the cause of peace’.

“If this is true, then this is a decision that can really encourage the Kyiv regime to (come to) the peace process,” Peskov said (via Reuters).

“It is obvious that the United States has been the main supplier of this war so far. If the United States stops being (an arms supplier) or suspends these supplies, it will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace.”

Peskov previously spoke about the Trump administration’s shift in foreign policy over the weekend, saying the Republican president’s coincided with their ‘vision’.

“The new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations,” he told a reporter from Russian state media on Wednesday, with the comments later published on Sunday (2 March) via The Guardian.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov (Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)

“This largely coincides with our vision.”

Peskov continued: “There is a long way to go, because there is huge damage to the whole complex of bilateral relations. But if the political will of the two leaders, President Putin and President Trump, is maintained, this path can be quite quick and successful.”

Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov has also praised 78-year-old US leader, calling his approach to Ukraine ‘common sense’.

Meanwhile numerous European leaders have since reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, with UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer chairing a summit with various NATO leaders in the aftermath of Zelenskyy and Trump’s public fall out.

“We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort,” a UK government spokesperson said earlier today, after the decision to suspend military aid was confirmed.

“It is the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do so.”

Relations between Ukraine and the US have been tense since the White House meeting (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

The spokesperson added: “In addition, we’ve set up a partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use £1.6 billion of UK export finance to buy 5,000 air defence missile manufactured in Belfast, putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace.”

Russia and Ukraine have been locked in an all out conflict since 24 February 2022, when Russian military invaded the Eastern provinces of the country. Russian forces currently occupy numerous oblasts in the east of Ukraine, while the Ukrainian military has taken small amounts of Russian territory along the boarder.

President Donald Trump read a letter he received from Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Congress yesterday (4 March), following the pair’s rather heated meeting recently at the White House.

On February 28, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, 47, met with Trump, 78, and US Vice President JD Vance, 40, at the White House for a joint press conference. They were also meant to sign a rare earth minerals deal.

However, angry scenes ensued, with the US leader claiming Zelenkyy was ‘gambling with World War III’ and the ‘lives of millions of people’ amid Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine.

“You either make a deal or we are out,” Trump claimed. “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.”

At one point, Vance also remarked that Zelenskyy had not ‘said thank you’ for the ongoing support of the US during the meeting.

Following the heated exchange, the joint press conference was cancelled and the politician was asked to leave the White House.

In the days following, Zelenskyy issued a thank you to US citizens and Trump for their ‘support’ and now, it appears he has sent a letter, stating his country is ready to work with the US.

“Earlier today I received I received an important letter from President Zelenskyy of Ukraine,” Trump began as he addressed a joint session of Congress in Washington on Tuesday (March 4).

“Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible. To bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians, he said.”

Clapping could be heard as the 47th President of the United States continued to read.

“My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.

“We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence.”

President Zelenskyy’s letter was read out in Congress (Peter Nicholls – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The notice continued to say that regarding the agreement on earth minerals – which was also abandoned after the pair’s fiery meeting in the Oval Office – the country is ‘ready’ to sign at ‘any’ convenient time.

Following the reading, Trump praised Zelenskyy for sending him the letter, telling the audience that he ‘appreciated’ the gesture.

The businessman also claimed there had been ‘serious discussions’ with Russia and that he’d received ‘strong signals that they are ready for peace’.

Trump, however, did not stipulate when these alleged talks had taken place, and whether he was involved in them.

“It’s time to end this senseless war. If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides,” he added.

Trump also thanked Elon Musk during the speech (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Ukraine has not publicly commented on the letter, which was reportedly received early on Tuesday.

Elsewhere in the address, Trump claimed his current administration was the ‘most successful in the history of our nation’ before thanking Elon Musk for heading up the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“Thank you Elon, you’re working really hard,” The Daily Mail reports. “He didn’t need this.”

DOGE, which is considered an initiative rather than a legal government office, is tasked with reducing federal spending.

53-year-old Musk has also vowed to give taxpayers money back while cutting the US’ national debt, which currently stands at an eye-watering $36.22 trillion, as per US Treasury Fiscal Data.