Ukraine on Tuesday said its forces could hold their own on the battlefield as they fight Russian troops after U.S. President Donald Trump paused military aid to Kyiv in the most dramatic step yet in his pivot toward closer ties with Russia.
Recall that Trump has upended U.S. policy on Ukraine and Russia, culminating in an explosive confrontation at the White House on Friday, when Trump upbraided President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for being insufficiently grateful for Washington’s backing.
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 it is contributing to a solution,” a U.S. official said on Monday.
According to Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Kyiv still has the wherewithal to supply its troops.
Our military and the government have the capabilities, the tools, let’s say, to maintain the situation on the front line,” he said.
Shmyhal thanked the U.S., emphasizing that Kyiv wanted mutually beneficial cooperation.
We will continue to work with the U.S. through all available channels in a calm manner. We only have one plan—to win and to survive. Either we win, or the Plan B will be written by someone else,” he added.
