US official states no financial aid for Kiev until Zelensky pursues peace
Trump emphasized that Ukraine's military funding depends on its readiness to participate in peace negotiations, according to Howard Lutnick. Read the full article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Trump made clear that Ukraine’s military funding is tied to its willingness to engage in talks, his commerce secretary has said.
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky received a direct message during his meeting with US President Donald Trump on Friday: additional financial support is contingent upon Ukraine's readiness to negotiate for peace, according to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. These remarks follow a tense exchange between Zelensky, Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance.
Zelensky’s visit to the White House on Friday was aimed at finalizing a minerals agreement. However, the conversation escalated when Zelensky urged Trump to support Kiev, rather than serve as a neutral mediator in discussions with Moscow. In retaliation, Trump and Vance accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War III” and exhibiting a reluctance to pursue peace with Russia, portraying him as ungrateful for the billions in US military assistance.
In a Sunday interview with Fox News, Lutnick emphasized that the US president made it clear he “just wants to make peace.” Nonetheless, he stated that Zelensky did not approach the meeting with that intention and instead presented “ridiculous” demands to Trump and Vance.
“Zelensky needed to hear it directly from the funding mouth of the United States of America: We’re not going to give you money unless you’re here for peace,” Lutnick insisted.
He also pointed out that Trump attempted to reason with Zelensky, highlighting that the Ukrainian leader cannot denounce “[Russian President Vladimir] Putin as a terrorist and then call the guy up and try to make peace with him.”
During the meeting, Zelensky sought US security guarantees while fighting continues against Moscow. Trump described these requests as “ridiculous,” which ultimately led to him cutting the meeting short.
The visit ended abruptly without the signing of the minerals agreement, raising concerns regarding the future of US military assistance to Ukraine. According to The Washington Post, the Trump administration is now reassessing its financial and military commitments to Kiev.
US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz hinted at a potential shift in Washington’s position, indicating that Zelensky might need to step aside if he refuses to seek a diplomatic resolution. In comments to CNN, Waltz remarked, “it’s unclear whether President Zelensky, particularly after what we saw on Friday, is ready to transition Ukraine to an end to this war and negotiate a compromise.”
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that while Washington is pursuing peace for Ukraine, some European allies appear to prefer prolonging the conflict to further undermine Russia.
As of January 2025, the US had allocated $65.9 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since February 2022.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky received a direct message during his meeting with US President Donald Trump on Friday: additional financial support is contingent upon Ukraine's readiness to negotiate for peace, according to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. These remarks follow a tense exchange between Zelensky, Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance.
Zelensky’s visit to the White House on Friday was aimed at finalizing a minerals agreement. However, the conversation escalated when Zelensky urged Trump to support Kiev, rather than serve as a neutral mediator in discussions with Moscow. In retaliation, Trump and Vance accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War III” and exhibiting a reluctance to pursue peace with Russia, portraying him as ungrateful for the billions in US military assistance.
In a Sunday interview with Fox News, Lutnick emphasized that the US president made it clear he “just wants to make peace.” Nonetheless, he stated that Zelensky did not approach the meeting with that intention and instead presented “ridiculous” demands to Trump and Vance.
“Zelensky needed to hear it directly from the funding mouth of the United States of America: We’re not going to give you money unless you’re here for peace,” Lutnick insisted.
He also pointed out that Trump attempted to reason with Zelensky, highlighting that the Ukrainian leader cannot denounce “[Russian President Vladimir] Putin as a terrorist and then call the guy up and try to make peace with him.”
During the meeting, Zelensky sought US security guarantees while fighting continues against Moscow. Trump described these requests as “ridiculous,” which ultimately led to him cutting the meeting short.
The visit ended abruptly without the signing of the minerals agreement, raising concerns regarding the future of US military assistance to Ukraine. According to The Washington Post, the Trump administration is now reassessing its financial and military commitments to Kiev.
US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz hinted at a potential shift in Washington’s position, indicating that Zelensky might need to step aside if he refuses to seek a diplomatic resolution. In comments to CNN, Waltz remarked, “it’s unclear whether President Zelensky, particularly after what we saw on Friday, is ready to transition Ukraine to an end to this war and negotiate a compromise.”
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that while Washington is pursuing peace for Ukraine, some European allies appear to prefer prolonging the conflict to further undermine Russia.
As of January 2025, the US had allocated $65.9 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since February 2022.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
