WASHINGTON, D.C. – European leaders are pledging to pitch in more to help Ukraine. They held an emergency meeting after the White House said they’re pausing military aid to Ukraine. There’s also reports that the US is also pausing intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
In last week’s fiery Oval Office showdown between President Trump and President Zelenskyy, it resulted in Zelenskyy getting asked to leave the White House.
“You don’t have the cards,” the President told Zelenskyy during the Oval Office meeting.
The President said Zelenskyy, who was there to sign a minerals agreement with the US, could return if Ukraine is open to peace negotiations with Russia.
Since then, the administration has paused military aid with Ukraine. There are other reports that suggest the US is also pausing intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
“It’s a pause for review,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The move has received some support from Trump’s Republican allies.
“The President has authority to do that, to act as the Commander-in-Chief, to use the strategy that he and his team believe is best fit for that,” said Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R- LA).
There are reports that the pause for US aid to Ukraine could hurt Ukraine. For example, Ukraine could lose advanced weapons and air defense systems. There’s now a greater chance of increased Ukrainian casualties.
The tense Oval Office meeting sent shivers across the world, especially in Europe. There are concerns that the US is changing its direction towards Ukraine and Europe. European leaders said Washington’s new attitude poses an entirely new challenge for them and Europe must take up this challenge. Leaders are talking about beefing up more European security for their own safety and increasing aid for Ukraine to make sure they’re still protected.
“It is about damn time,” said Roberta Metsola, European Parliament President. “This is something we have been asking for a long time. That the European Union, that Europe is capable of standing up on its own two feet.”
Zelenskyy is trying to mend the relationship and recently sent President Trump a letter.
“Ukrainian and American teams began working on an upcoming meeting,” Zelenskyy said during one of his daily video addresses less than a week after the Oval Office meeting. “Andriy Yermak and Mike Waltz held talks, and we’re seeing forward momentum. We hope to see the first results next week.”
