U.S. President Donald Trump ordered an immediate halt to military aid to Ukraine on Monday. The Trump administration stated that the goal was to force all parties to commit to peace talks.
European leaders have said it is vital to continue sending arms to Kyiv. However, it remains unclear how long Ukraine can continue to resist without such aid.
As news broke about Washington’s decision to halt military aid to Kyiv, Russian drone attacks continued over Ukrainian cities.
Ukrainian lawmakers say the consequences of Washington’s decision will be severe.
“This means thousands of people will die,” says Oleksiy Goncharenko, a Ukrainian MP.
In the west of Donetsk, near the city of Pokrovsk, fighting continues.
“We use an Italian ‘Howitzer’ artillery. However, most of the ammunition we receive comes from the United States. It is NATO standard, used both in Europe and the U.S. But will Europe now be able to supply us? I hope so,” says the commander of the 14th Ukrainian Brigade, who goes by the nickname “Berf.”
Can Europe compensate for the lack of U.S. military aid?
“There are certain systems, like the ‘Patriot’ missiles or spare parts for ‘Abrams’ tanks used by Ukrainians. The only way Europeans can provide them is by buying them on the open market. This takes time,” says Mark Galeotti, a Russia expert from the Mayak Intelligence firm.
However, Ukraine is producing more and more weapons.
“Perhaps around half of the weapons Ukraine uses now are produced domestically. The rest are supplied by the United States and other countries, including Europeans,” says Malcolm Chalmers from the Royal United Services Institute.
Washington offers critical assistance, such as transporting Western weapons to Ukraine.
“The United States plays a very important role by providing information and intelligence data to the Ukrainian forces,” says analyst Chalmers.
The Trump administration says the military aid cutoff was made, as U.S. officials explain, “to help achieve a solution.”
“The U.S., Europe, and Ukraine cannot continue this war indefinitely. Therefore, it is crucial that all parties participate in negotiations,” says U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said over the weekend that there is a coalition of countries that want to continue supporting Ukraine.
“Vice President Vance’s claim that many European leaders publicly offer support to Kyiv, while privately expressing skepticism, is not entirely inaccurate. The question here is, would these countries continue to deplete their military reserves and anger their main ally and security guarantor by continuing support for Ukraine?” says Russia expert Mark Galeotti, reports VOA.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky informed the Trump administration on Tuesday, via a post on social media platform ‘X,’ that Ukraine is committed to peace.
For Ukrainians suffering from Russian airstrikes, the halt in U.S. aid is a bitter outcome.
“I hope President Trump changes his mind. The victim of aggression cannot be guilty and punished,” says Viktoria, a resident of Kyiv.
“Maybe Europe can help somehow. The hope now lies only with Europe, nowhere else,” says Illia, a resident of Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Russia welcomed Washington’s decision to stop military aid to Ukraine, saying that “the situation must be resolved by peaceful means.”
