The Ukrainian government has strongly condemned US President Donald Trump’s decision to pause military aid to Ukraine, with a top official warning that the move could push Kyiv toward capitulation to Russia.

“The aid freeze looks really bad. It looks like he is pushing Kyiv towards capitulation,” the chair of Ukraine’s Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee told Reuters. The decision, announced Monday by a White House official, comes as Trump seeks to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into peace negotiations with Russia. The sudden suspension has sent shockwaves through Kyiv and its European allies, raising concerns about Ukraine’s ability to continue its defense against Russian aggression.

Trump, who has long expressed skepticism over prolonged US military support to Ukraine, did not rule out a potential pause when pressed by reporters earlier in the day. However, confirmation of the suspension has rattled officials in both Kyiv and Washington. “The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well,” a White House official told AFP on condition of anonymity. “We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.”

The halt impacts hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of weaponry already in the pipeline to Ukraine, according to The New York Times. Congressional Democrats have swiftly denounced the move as dangerous and unlawful.