[Politics & Diplomacy] Trump pauses all military aid to Ukraine after White House meeting debacle

U.S. President Donald Trump continues upping his pressure on Ukraine, following last week's unprecedented public spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He now pauses military aid to the beleaguered country.

For more on what the break could mean, we now turn to our correspondent, Kim Jung-sil, joining me here in the studio.

Jung-sil, can you walk us through the latest on President Trump's decision to halt military aid to Ukraine? How did this decision come about?

Jung-min, President Trump's decision to pause military assistance to Ukraine is raising significant concerns, not just in Ukraine but also across Europe.

The suspension reportedly affects over $1 billion in arms and ammunition, which Kyiv heavily relies on to defend itself against Russia's ongoing attacks.

This pause in U.S. military support comes at a critical time. Ukrainian forces are still locked in a battle with Russian troops, and without these supplies, their ability to continue resisting could be severely compromised.

This move from Trump follows a particularly tense meeting at the White House on Friday between the U.S. and Ukrainian leaders.

Let's take a look at how it unfolded.

"You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War 3. You're gambling with World War 3, and what you're doing is very disrespectful, disrespectful to the country, this country that's backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have."

"Have you said thank you once? In this entire meeting?"

"A lot of times."

"No, in this entire meeting, have you said thank you? Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who's trying to save your country."

This exchange clearly set the stage for Trump's subsequent announcement.

Zelenskyy, after his visit to Washington, headed to London, where he made this comment, that reportedly upset officials in the U.S.

"An agreement to end the war is still very, very far away, and no one has started all these steps yet."

"He said he thinks the war's going to go on for a long time. And he better not be right about that. Maybe somebody doesn't want to make a deal, and if somebody doesn't want to make a deal, I think that person won't be around very long."

Trump has been vocal about wanting to see an end to the war quickly, and suggested that Zelenskyy's resistance to peace talks could jeopardize his position.

Experts warn that without U.S. support, Ukraine could lose access to advanced weaponry, which would significantly impact its defense capabilities.

Jung-sil, how has Europe reacted to this?

Jung-min, several European leaders, especially in France and Britain, have expressed strong support for Ukraine amid the fallout from this situation.

Take a listen.

"A staggering scene unfolded before the lenses of the entire world, marked by brutality, a desire to humiliate, with the goal of making Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fold through threats so that he gives in to the demands of his aggressors."

"As you heard from the cheers on the street outside, you have the full backing of the United Kingdom. And we stand with you, with Ukraine, for as long as it may take."

While European leaders continue to show strong support for Ukraine, experts are concerned that this rift between the U.S. and Ukraine could signal a significant break between the U.S. and its European allies.

Former U.S. intelligence officer Angela Stent warned that such a divide could mark the beginning of a "U.S. exit from Europe."

"Clearly, we've had a major U.S.-European break on all of this, something that I think the Russians in their wildest hopes wouldn't have dreamt of before."

Meanwhile, Russia is closely monitoring this divide.

Experts, including Professor Jeong Jae-won of Kookmin University, warn that Russia could exploit this situation to make further territorial gains in Ukraine, especially as peace talks remain stalled.

"Russia will likely seek to solidify control over territories like Donbas, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, aiming to firmly establish them as part of its own."

Experts argue that if the war ends this way, Russia could potentially gain additional territory without losing any of its own.

Thank you, Jungsil, for that report.