US President Donald Trump halted military aid to Ukraine on Monday, intensifying pressure on Kyiv to negotiate peace with Russia, a White House official confirmed. The decision follows a heated clash between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as Trump pushes for a swift end to the war.

Trump had hinted at a potential pause earlier Monday, despite warnings that any break in US arms support could cripple Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion. “The President wants peace, and our partners must align with that,” a White House official told AFP anonymously, adding that aid is under review to ensure it aids a resolution.

Congressional Democrats slammed the move as reckless and unlawful. “Trump must lift this disastrous freeze now,” demanded Gregory Meeks, top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Trump, meanwhile, criticized Zelensky’s defiance, warning he “won’t be around long” without a ceasefire and urging more gratitude for US backing. The pause, effective immediately, stalls hundreds of millions in weapons shipments, per The New York Times.

Zelensky countered that he, too, wants the war over “as soon as possible” but stressed that only robust security guarantees—not empty talks—can stop Russia, which invaded in 2014 and escalated in 2022. Trump’s shift has rattled US allies, raising fears of a pivot toward Moscow.

In Europe, Britain and France are exploring a one-month truce covering air, sea, and energy targets, possibly with troops to enforce it, after crisis talks in London. Zelensky called such ideas “first steps,” warning that a true end remains distant—comments that irked Trump further.

Zelensky tied peace to security pacts, noting Ukraine ditched nuclear arms in 1994 for US and British protection that later faltered, enabling Russia’s aggression. Russia dismissed him as unserious, mirroring US frustration after a tense Oval Office showdown Friday.

On the ground, a Russian missile strike near Dnipro killed 30-40 Ukrainian soldiers and wounded 90 at a training base, officials and a military blogger reported. Trump has labeled Zelensky a “dictator” for delaying elections under martial law, while Zelensky insists he’ll step down only with NATO membership—opposed by both Russia and now Trump.

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov blamed Zelensky’s “lack of diplomacy” for the US rift, claiming he rejects peace. Vice President JD Vance, on Fox News, predicted Zelensky would “eventually” bend to talks. Germany’s Friedrich Merz called Trump’s tactics a “deliberate escalation,” as US-Russia discussions—excluding Kyiv and Europe—fuel concerns over Ukraine’s fate.