Military financing has been stopped, and officials are meeting to consider suspending another type of assistance
The Trump administration has halted funding for new weapons sales to Ukraine and is considering freezing arms shipments from U.S. stockpiles, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The pause on arms financing aligns with the administration’s broader freeze on foreign aid, but the latest move to potentially cut off military support follows a heated Oval Office exchange on Friday between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The meeting ended abruptly, with Zelenskyy leaving the White House ahead of schedule, according to U.S. officials cited by the WSJ.
A White House meeting on Monday reportedly addressed whether to further restrict weapons transfers to Ukraine. Participants included Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, The Washington Post reported.
Friday’s meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy was expected to result in the signing of a critical minerals development agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine—a step Trump viewed as essential to advancing peace efforts between Kyiv and Moscow. However, the contentious exchange led to the cancellation of a scheduled luncheon and press conference.
Although Secretary of State Rubio has signed a waiver exempting Ukraine from the foreign aid freeze, the State Department has yet to notify the Pentagon, effectively leaving Ukraine cut off from receiving weapons under the Foreign Military Financing program, according to the WSJ.
Ukraine has multiple avenues to secure U.S. weapons, but the most critical has been presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to transfer arms from its own stockpiles. Even if Trump proceeds with further restrictions, Ukrainian forces are expected to have sufficient weapons to sustain operations against Russia through mid-2025, thanks in part to a major arms transfer completed under the Biden administration.
The fate of the critical minerals deal remains uncertain. Trump is expected to address the matter in his Tuesday night speech before Congress, while Zelenskyy has expressed a willingness to proceed with signing the agreement despite Friday’s diplomatic fallout.
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U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Russia then Ukraine over the weekend, Russian state news agency TASS has reported, citing an unnamed source. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also said American envoys will visit the capitals of both countries.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, two people familiar with the matter said. They were met by Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
U.S. efforts to squeeze Iran’s economy through an oil blockade and sanctions are becoming increasingly difficult for Tehran to withstand, according to three senior Iranian sources. Washington is escalating pressure in hopes of securing concessions in future negotiations.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 4th of September, covering the latest developments.
Two people have been rescued alive from a tunnel in Nepal, nine days after catastrophic floods devastated the country, as rescuers continue searching for survivors.
A Chinese national was pulled alive from a tunnel in Nepal on Saturday, authorities said, 10 days after a wall of ice, rock and mud tore through a Himalayan valley, killing more than 1,300 people and leaving more than 5,600 missing.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, two people familiar with the matter said. They were met by Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Spanish authorities are preparing a new site in Ceuta to accommodate hundreds of migrants who remain on the streets following large-scale arrivals in July, local media reported Saturday.
At least two people were killed and dozens injured on Friday after an explosion at a military barracks in the Bolivian municipality of Viacha, about 30 km (20 miles) from La Paz, Defence Minister Ernesto Justiniano said.
The resolution, sponsored by African countries and led by Togo, passed by 164 votes to one, with six abstentions. The United States was the only country to vote against it.
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