Skip next section US aid pause ‘predictable’ after Trump-Zelenskyy clash: Former UK defense attache
03/04/2025March 4, 2025
US aid pause ‘predictable’ after Trump-Zelenskyy clash: Former UK defense attache
John Foreman, formerly Britain’s defense attache to Moscow and Kyiv, has told DW that the US was “predictable at the Oval Office.
On Friday, US President ended a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart with an outburst in which he accused Zelenskyy of ingratitude for previous US support.
Foreman said the US was trying “to blackmail Ukraine back to the table, to sign the and then to acquiesce to Trump’s approach to peace.”
He described the US suspension of military aid as “morally reprehensible,” since “Russia carries on getting arms from North Korea and carries on attacking.”
He said the last time the US suspended aid to Ukraine amid political infighting in Congress, tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers died until after
Foreman said that the US move will allow Europe “to step up quickly to take the strain given the American cut,” and welcomed European Commission President’s €800 billion defense plan, though he cautioned that Europe would need years to rearm.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rN0q
Skip next section Hungary’s Orban to talk Ukraine with France’s Macron03/04/2025March 4, 2025
Hungary’s Orban to talk Ukraine with France’s Macron
Hungarian Prime Minister said on Tuesday that he would meet French President to talk about Ukraine on Wednesday.
The talks between the two leaders would take place ahead of an extraordinary summit of European Union leaders scheduled for Thursday, he said.
The meeting is likely to see a clash of views, with Macron an ardent supporter of European support to Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion.
Orban, on the contrary, has maintained friendly relations with Russian President despite Moscow’s invasion and has broken step with most other EU leaders
Orban also confirmed to a reporter that he had had a phone call with US President on Sunday, saying that they discussed “everything.”
On Saturday, Orban wrote in a letter to Antonio Costa, who heads the Council of the EU’s 27 member states, that the EU should follow “the example of the United States” and start “direct discussions with Russia on a ceasefire and sustainable peace in Ukraine.”
This comes after Trump blindsided US allies by calling Putin provoking fears that the US president is ready to make territorial concessions to Moscow so that he can fulfill an election pledge to bring peace to Ukraine.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rMtt
Skip next section Zelenskyy says he agreed further cooperation with Merz
03/04/2025March 4, 2025
Zelenskyy says he agreed further cooperation with Merz
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said he had discussed further cooperation with Germany in a call with likely future chancellor .
“We coordinated our positions and I appreciate his support,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.
He said that Ukraine highly values Germany’s efforts to restore European security and protect lives in his country.
“We remember that Germany is the leader in supplying air defense systems to Ukraine and plays a crucial role in ensuring our financial stability,” he added.
That was the first post on Zelenskyy’s X account after President Donald Trump suspended US military aid to Ukraine.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rMTA
Skip next section What are the risks of a US aid freeze for Ukraine?03/04/2025March 4, 2025
What are the risks of a US aid freeze for Ukraine?
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said a US military aid pause was visible at the country’s logistics hub, which transfers weapons and humanitarian aid to neighboring Ukraine.
However, military experts say it could take time for the impact of missing US aid to be felt on the battlefield.
When by Republicans in Congress, the most notable initial impact was a lack of air defenses to shoot down incoming Russian missiles and drones.
Speaking at the press conference in Kyiv, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal noted the importance of US-made Patriot air defense systems.
Shmyhal said there were risks over repairs, maintenance and ammunition supplies for the Patriots, which are the only system capable of repelling Russian ballistic missile attacks.
An aide to Zelenskyy, Mykhailo Podolyak, said that Ukraine has already experienced prolonged suspensions of US military aid programs and has learned to adapt to such situations.
“Some solutions can be found on commercial markets. We are discussing options with our European partners. And, of course, we are not overlooking the possibility of negotiations with our American counterparts,” he wrote on X.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rMPn
Skip next section Ukraine PM says his country will ‘continue to work with US’
03/04/2025March 4, 2025
Ukraine PM says his country will ‘continue to work with US’
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said his country would do everything necessary to withstand a full-scale Russian invasion, despite . “We will do everything to hold out,” he told journalists at a press conference in Kyiv.
He also said that Ukraine’s military has the means to maintain the situation on the front line with Russian forces, but Kyiv will continue to work with Washington.
“We will continue to work with the US through all available channels in a calm manner,” Shmyhal stressed.
He also added that Ukraine was ready to sign a planned deal on extracting strategically important minerals with the US “at any time.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4rMGR
Skip next section How much aid has been allocated to Ukraine?
03/04/2025March 4, 2025
How much aid has been allocated to Ukraine?
https://p.dw.com/p/4rMGS
Skip next section Poland says Trump did not consult allies on Ukraine aid freeze
03/04/2025March 4, 2025
Poland says Trump did not consult allies on Ukraine aid freeze
Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Pawel Wronski said Trump made the decision to suspend aid to Ukraine without consulting allies.
“This is a very important decision, and the situation is very serious,” Pawel Wronski told reporters.
“This sentence may sound banal, but it has great political significance — it (the decision) was made without any information, or consultation, neither with NATO allies, nor with the Ramstein group, which is involved in supporting Ukraine in its fight,” he added.
Polish Prime Minister wrote on X that a sovereign, pro-Western Ukraine that can defend itself means a stronger and safer Poland.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rM0F
Skip next section Russia says freezing US aid to Ukraine ‘best contribution’ to peace
03/04/2025March 4, 2025
Russia says freezing US aid to Ukraine ‘best contribution’ to peace
The Kremlin has welcomed reports of the .
“The details remain to be seen, but if it is true, it is a decision that can actually push the Kyiv regime toward a peace process,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.
“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,” he added.
Peskov also said that any normalization of relations with the with the United States would require the lifting of sanctions against against Moscow.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rLdV
Skip next section Von der Leyen: EU defense plan to provide support for Ukraine
03/04/2025March 4, 2025
Von der Leyen: EU defense plan to provide support for Ukraine
European Commission President presented to “rearm Europe” that could “mobilize close to €800 billion ($841.4 billion) for a safe and resilient Europe.”
According to von der Leyen, the plan will also help provide “immediate” military support for Ukraine.
Von der Leyen stressed the need to boost Europe’s defense capabilities following the London summit where European leaders gathered for Ukraine talks.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rLXy
Skip next section Russian drone attack knocks out power in Ukraine’s Odesa
03/04/2025March 4, 2025
Russian drone attack knocks out power in Ukraine’s Odesa
A Russian drone strike injured four people and damaged energy infrastructure in the Ukrainian Black Sea port of , causing power outages in the city and knocking out heating systems.
“A strike has damaged energy infrastructure,” regional Governor Oleh Kiper said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. “There are power cuts now in parts of the city.”
Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov said two injured people were hospitalized. The attack also damaged several apartment buildings and two private kindergartens.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian air force said it shot down 65 out of 99 drones launched by Russia overnight.
Another 32 drones were “lost” and did not reach their targets, likely due to electronic warfare countermeasures, the military added.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rLV0
Skip next section White House officials confirm pause of US military aid to Ukraine
03/04/2025March 4, 2025
White House officials confirm pause of US military aid to Ukraine
US President Donald Trump’s administration is , according to White House officials.
Trump has made it unmistakably clear that his focus is on peace, the officials said.
The New York Times reported that aid would resume once Trump determined that Ukraine was committed to peace negotiations with Russia.
The suspension is effective immediately and affects more than $1 billion (€950 million) worth of weapons and ammunition already ordered or in the process of being delivered, according to the report.
During his campaign, Trump questioned the need for US aid to Ukraine. And after a tense exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday, he openly threatened to withdraw all US assistance.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rLUQ
Skip next section WATCH — What to make of the US shift on Ukraine?
03/04/2025March 4, 2025
WATCH — What to make of the US shift on Ukraine?
Political commentator Ethan Bearman says Trump’s decision to pause military aid to Ukraine marks a “new era” in US policy.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rLUR
Skip next section France says US aid freeze to Ukraine pushes peace further away
03/04/2025March 4, 2025
France says US aid freeze to Ukraine pushes peace further away
The US decision to freeze aid to Ukraine strengthens Russia’s position and makes peace harder to achieve, said Benjamin Haddad, France’s junior minister for Europe.
“Fundamentally, if you want peace, does a decision to suspend arms to Ukraine reinforce peace or does it make it more distant? It makes it more distant, because it only strengthens the hand of the aggressor on the ground, which is Russia,” Haddad told broadcaster France 2.
The White House confirmed Monday that US President Donald Trump’s administration is temporarily suspending US military aid to Ukraine.
The move comes just days after in the Oval Office.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rLP3
Skip next section Vance calls for US ‘economic upside’ in Ukraine
03/04/2025March 4, 2025
Vance calls for US ‘economic upside’ in Ukraine
US Vice President called for Washington and Kyiv to sign a rare minerals deal, arguing it would enhance Ukraine’s security.
“If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine,” Vance said in the interview for the Fox News broadcaster.
A Ukrainian delegation left the White House on Friday before the agreement could be signed after US President .
While speaking in the Oval Office on Friday, Zelenskyy had insisted that US “security guarantees” were necessary for any ceasefire deal with Russia to hold.
In the Monday interview, Vance argued that the minerals deal showed to Ukrainians that the US had a “long-term investment” in Ukraine.
“That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years,” Vance said.
The UK and France have suggested that they could to uphold a ceasefire in Ukraine. Moscow has flat out rejected the presence of any European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine.
Vance argued that Zelenskyy had not shown a “willingness to engage” the US in talks, but added that the “door is open” if the Ukrainian president is willing to “talk peace.”
“it’s important for Zelenskyy and Putin to come to the negotiating table,” he stressed.
He said that European states needed to be “realistic” on the likely outcome of the war.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rL9Y
Skip next section Welcome to DW’s daily coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine03/04/2025March 4, 2025
Welcome to DW’s daily coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine
Saim Dušan Inayatullah | Rana Taha
US President Donald Trump on Monday .
The temporary suspension comes just days after in the White House.
Multiple news agencies cited an unnamed White House official as saying that the US was “pausing and reviewing” its aid to “ensure that it is contributing to a solution” to the .
Trump has repeatedly called for an end to the war in Ukraine and for in order to pay Washington back for its support.
Earlier on Monday, Trump criticized Zelenskyy for suggesting that the end of the war was still likely “very, very far away.”
Trump said that the remarks were “the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!”
https://p.dw.com/p/4rL9X
The post Ukraine updates: Zelenskyy speaks to Merz about cooperation appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
