🚨The Trump administration is considering ending all ongoing shipments of military aid to Ukraine in response to Zelensky’s remarks in the Oval Office on Friday and his perceived intransigence in the peace process, per senior administration official
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The decision, if taken, would apply to billions of dollars of radars, vehicles, ammunition and missiles awaiting shipment to Ukraine through the presidential drawdown authority, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic.
The consideration of withholding arms for Ukraine as it fends off a full-scale invasion from Russia underscores the dramatic plunge in relations between the erstwhile allies following the contentious Oval Office exchange between Zelensky, President Donald Trump and Vice President Vance.
The official pushed back on the notion that Trump and Vance’s confrontation with Zelensky was premeditated, and noted that efforts were made to strike a more positive tone in planning ahead of the meeting as indicated by Trump’s dropping of his accusation that Zelensky is a "dictator"
First making a completely untenable claim and then withdrawing it is not a willingness to compromise. He may impress his cultists with this, but for normal thinking people it is an insult to their intelligence.
Officials would “push back”, because if they did not it makes Dear Leader seem even weaker. The confrontation seemed very planned…the “dropping Zelenskyy dictator” thing seems so so weak.
Still waiting for the media to actually cover the USA weakness in caving to Putin
He didn't "drop" his accusation, he leaned in to his senility and pretended he forgot about it and it never happened. "Dropping it" would be acknowledging and rescinding it.
It was obviously premeditated. The only thing good to come out of it is that Europe now knows that the US is compromised, and they will have to go it alone.
When you look back at your career and legacy as a journalist, you're not going to be proud of the person who wrote this. History will not be kind either.
People have already replied to your article aptly: it is a naive take.
The thing is that, with Bezos deciding what tone you need to strike in your articles, your credibility as anything other than propaganda for Trump is zero.
For anyone with eyes to see, this was Trump & Vance hounding Zelensky.
JD Vance a Vice President was out of line to first even address a sitting President of a Sovereign Nation, and to treat him with such disrespect. The entire spectacle was premeditated to create a circus so they can have a bogus reason to withhold aid to Ukraine w/ the ultimate goal of leaving NATO
Why would you assume Trump/Vance has any capacity to plan and manipulate, when total incompetence, moral bankruptcy, and ill-will all sufficiently explain the situation?
Not only is the OP spewing utter nonsense, but there is no Universe in which the outcome of that catastrophic meeting could reflect poorly on Zelenski.
And if this happens, all the "very serious" Republicans who say they support Ukraine will just roll over and do nothing, too worried Trump might say something bad about them online instead of supporting their own values and what's best for the US.
This “both sides” journalism is outrageous. Call out the authoritarians undermining Western democracy instead of just echoing their rhetoric. It’s time to rise to the occasion or find a different line of work. The slow death of legacy media.
Saying he didn’t remember that he called Zelensky a dictator two days ago is not backing off lol…it means he needs another cognitive test. What an embarrassment…
So we're supposed to give Trump et al credit for no longer saying something that was an obvious lie every time he said it?
Are Republicans so bad that we're treating them like little kids now. "Oh look. Little Johnny isn't throwing rocks at the neighbors anymore. Yay for Johnny!"
It absolutely was premeditated! It was a f**king show for their damned master Putin! Paint it anyway you want, but Trump's doing Putins bidding, undermining Ukraine, Europe, and the United States of America! The S O B ought to be impeached again, he ought to be in prison now!
Trump dropped the term “ dictator “ at the Starmer press conference because he wanted to manipulate the gullible and clueless British Prime minister and, judging by Starmer’s tweet afterwards, he succeeded …
Oh right, as if calling him a "dictator" was a good way to prepare for negotiations. This supposed metals/minerals deal was a fake - a contrivance. They knew Zelensky would never agree to their terms.
The fact that he called Zelensky a dictator in the first place was absurd and reveals the lie in all of this. It was clear as day that this was an ambush and intended to be.
“Senior Advisor Liarman, the Assistant Secretary of Lying, has assured me that this is not at all the obvious explanation consistent with their actions and motives. I was instantly convinced”
He didn’t drop that accusation. He said he couldn’t remember saying it, and instead of reporting it as either a blatant lie or evidence of cognitive deficiency y’all dutifully typed it down as fact.
Fucking bullshit that you’re spreading these lies as anything other than what they are. It was of course premeditated. Stop carrying water for these demons
He said after the interview “ Now that was good television”. What I watched was Zelenski trying to explain his hesitation to trust Putin, and two Putin living thugs attack him and talk over him.
Did said reporter push back on such a laughable justification that the interaction was premeditate? Anything short of being called a dictator surely indicates a healthy relationship, no? FFS
With all due respect, that is BS. How was Tass in the room? Who was rude and aggressive in a performative manner? This is exactly the sort of “journalimism” that made me cancel my subscription.
The one silver lining is that these events are really showing us who is a journalist, and who is a gutless toady who cares more about sucking up to people in authority than telling the truth.
The term "sell-out" fell out of favour since the 70s but I think it can be defined by use here.
Anyone with a modicum of common sense could see the meeting was a set-up, designed to manufacture the lie Ukraine does not want peace and is the aggressor in the war.
You really aren’t going to point out here that trumpy called him a dictator on television, then within the last 48 hours he claimed he never did it, and now you’re quoting an administration parasite as acknowledging that as some kind of concession. That’s horse puckey.
Horseshit. If you're going to report, report what is going on or shut up.
Then again, if you had the guts to tell the truth you wouldn't be working for the Post.
Total nonsense. Both Trump and Vance have made a multitude of pro-Russian, anti-Ukrainian statements since they took office. They aren't even remotely friends of Ukraine.
"Dropping" means denying that he ever said it. Note that Trump never denied the claim itself. He never said "I was wrong to say that." There's a big difference between what he actually did and dropping the claim.
Well, let’s see, did you push back on the notion that it was obvious to everyone who watches it that it was coordinated and pre-planned. We’re not naive.
Rather than "efforts to strike a more positive tone", meeting was to set the stage for terminating Ukraine funding.
Why did you leave out Trump's claim that Putin had to suffer from the Russia "witch hunt"? Seems like that was a big part of his anger and cause for retribution.
Total and utter bullshit. The entire meeting was a pretext to cancel aid because Zelenskyy stood up to Trump and Vance. The Russian media service presence confirms that the meeting was only meant to please Trump’s other handler, Putin.
It's not a dramatic plunge in relations, it's a planned attack on Ukraine relations by Trump and Vance, so they can cosy up to Russia and make secret deals.
The "plunge in relations" happened as soon as Trump took office for his 2nd term. The whole world can see that Zelensky was set up, here. Nothing he could have done (other than capitulate to Putin) would have made any difference.
Shame on you, John: gaslighting Americans. Time to catch yourself on!
We all know that this was a pre-meditated plan to find an excuse to cut off aid to Ukraine. Trump/Vance literally said they wanted to cut off aid many times before this. You don't have to be a stenographer for liars. If someone tells you that the sky is green, you can just call them liars.
Of course, you work for the WP.
What an absolute load of crap - “dramatic plunge in relations”. You should feel shame but of course you don’t. Good job, Boris!
this sounds like more impoundment, more illegality--and reminiscent of trump's attempt to extort election help from President Zelenskyy in 2019. I assume this refers to arms transfers already authorized by Congress.
Wouldn’t it be good for Congress and the citizens of the United States to have a heads up that this is a traitorous act that our president is considering—that Trump is switching sides to Putin transactionalism on us??
This would be considered by the European democracies as pretty much an act of war against them as it will be rolling out the red carpet for fascist Russia for further conquests.
Haha Washington Post of course. What a crock of crap-that was an ambush staged to give them an excuse to screw Ukraine and fellate Putin. You’re a Bezos bitch.
Trump is a traitor. According to most state constitutions. You can’t actively support Putin an enemy to the US. @jimsciutto.bsky.social @jaketapper.bsky.social @maddow.msnbc.com
This sure is becoming a tail that wags the dog quickly, John. Another way of saying this is "The Trump administration invited Zelensky to the Oval Office to foment a pretense to end all ongoing shipments of military aid to Ukraine"
Your bio says you cover diplomacy, but I don't see any actual diplomacy. I see someone who thinks he's still playing a reality tv character, and a public that falls for it every time, because of media reporting it the way he wants it to be presented, rather than what actually happened.
Trump Admin considering ending all UKR aid b/c of what happened in Oval Office
What's controversial about that? It's a fact - presuming Hudson has good info from his sources, rules that as a professional journo he knows how to play by
'It's because of Zelenskyy doing X in the Oval Office' is merely Donald's favorite thing to do. It's a lie, and he adores "making" people accept and parrot his lies. (Shame on any news outlet that does so.)
Cutting off Ukraine was always the plan. There was no other.
The article does not accurately portray what happened in that WH meeting. It places the blame on Zelensky as being problematic in the peace process. It paints Trump in a benign light. It’s BS
Absolutely, it’s utter lies—we all saw what happened.
I was only responding to the journalist’s posts on Trump illegally impounding Congressionally approved armaments and supplies, cutting off Ukraine 🇺🇦 That’s his end game. (Seemed floated intentionally by the WH afterwards—wasn’t in the article.)
That's where I've been. Everything since the golden elevator has felt like an unstoppable sprint to the colossal destruction of America's values and a dark future. I'll never forgive everyone that had an opportunity to mitigate this threat and domestic terrorist from day 1 forward.
The Trump administration has been looking for ways to do this, and it does seem like they wanted to provoke Ukraine to make them do that, as it benefits Trump’s favorite dictator.
For an “Art of the Deal” man Trump came over as pathetically weak - the pat on the arm by his VP said it all.
Ukraine doesn’t need America with the backing of Europe and China but America needs Ukraine after what the world witnessed today…very pathetic America…
Shameful, boorish, belligerent, duplicitous…There aren’t enough adjectives… I think it was quite premeditated. Trump and Vance intended to engineer some pretense to justify betrayal of an ally.
This guy spent most of his career with the centrist contrian Atlantic before joining The Bezos Post. It's no wonder he's still trying to sanewash the actions of the Trump administration.
And the journalistic ethics of granting anonymity Trump official so the Trump official could defend Trump? Wow.
Not usually one to pile on, but you need to hear this: you know they have been wanting to cancel aid because both Trump and Vance have said so. You cannot pretend not to know things that you definitely already know.
“Peace Process”
That’s a complete joke.
They ambushed him.
Devastating to watch and embarrassing as an American.
Trump further isolating, the United States of America, and putting Russia first.
If you don't think Trump decided to stop supporting Ukraine the moment he got re-elected, you haven't been paying attention. That military aid was never going to be shipped. Today's spectacle just provided cover.
I just posted something similar but honestly this was decided long before the election was.
It's part of the quid pro quo. We're going to help your election through misinformation and laundering money into your campaign and you'll owe us Ukraine.
What a fucking lie. Trump has been in Putin's thrall since before his first term.
Trump and Vance set Zelensky up and tried to bully him.
They weren't responding to anything. They were making him an offer they thought he couldn't refuse, as mobsters do.
An agreement had already been reached between the US and Ukraine before Zelenskyy was attacked in the White House. Trump and Vance acted like squealing babies pulled of Mommy-Putin’s tit. Punish the aggressor: Russia! ^^
John, that was always the plan. Today was just theatre of bogus pretext for propaganda purposes. We need to stop looking for signs and realize that they’ve been flashing red for over a decade now.
The performative shit-show by Trump/Vance was a pretext to what they really wanted to do all along, which was to stop all aid to Ukraine. They can now use the excuse what they INSTIGATED at the WH with their meeting with Zelensky, as a reason to end Ukraine Aid. This was all planned by traitors.
This was always the plan! Trump truly thinks everyone is as stupid as him and his supporters. Even a blind mole rat could see that planned shyt show was put on to justify this and to satisfy his master Putin!
Trump doesn't want 'Peace' with Putin, he wants Ukraine to 'Surrender' to Putin. The sooner every journalist and commentator stops calling it 'peace' and calls it 'surrender' the sooner everyone will understand what's at stake! #NoSurrender #IStandWithUkraine
Is putin demanding this from trump and trump is furious with zelinsky because all he wants is the minerals. He hates being put in the middle because he's not in control.
Let’s be very clear:There was no intransigence; there WAS a good courageous man who refused to allow himself to be ABUSED by a lying bully, enraging the bully. Bring on the predictable REVENGE phase by the idiot mal narc, against the man who refused indignity. President Zelenskyy💯, drumpf zero!
Thanks for comparing the gross amounts, interesting;
But "was spent in the US" is irrelevant. What was it spent on in the US? First-class weapons/supplies, many (e.g. Patriot) of a quality only the US can provide - and ALL of which Ukraine has been able to use in its war efforts
Of course I do not believe such lies, but this graphic has nothing at all to do with that: such alleged cash would anyway be "accounted for" under "Aid spent outside the US/Europe"
#TrumpisaTraitor all because Pres Zeleinskyy didn’t bow down and kiss his ass. Ukraine has a leader who will defend them till the end of time. Americans? Our “leader” would sell us out to the highest bidder.
Response to Zelensky's remarks? He didn't get a word in between Trump and Vance trying to get Daddy Putin's attention.
It is a total perversion of the USA by two puppets of the Kremlin.
If anyone is still in denial, they aren't paying attention.
While you all are here, please consider donating to Ukraine. One of the most reliable funds is Come Back Alive (https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate-en/), which provides full transparency through detailed reports and actively supports Ukraine. Every contribution makes a real difference
False flag operation. Zelensky was set up. Trump bullied and betrayed him, Zelensky was very cool under that provocation. Remember, Zelensky's friends and family are being murdered daily.
Yes, that is the problem with the media these days. They have been whitewashing Trump's behavior before and after the election. They are part of the problem.
I hope King Charles rescinds his invitation to our Russian tool of a president. This behavior today is vintage Trump. He is an uncouth barbarian. Someone the King does not need to subject himself to.
Those are air defense missiles. But sure, since Zelensky dared to push back when yelled at, let’s just let the Russians bomb more kindergartens and hospitals in Ukraine—just like they did when they hit the oncology clinic in Kyiv. Let them kill even more children.
Once Zelelnsky didn't sign that blank paper deal in Germany, Trump manufactured the excuse to cut off aid with the invitation to a deal signing, they had no intention of completing, and now will use this as justification to not only cut off aid, but lobby to remove zelesnky as president
Bullshit! Weeks ago Putin directed the MAGA fascists to suspend all shipments. Remember when the Kremlin propaganda outlets were posting Melanie Einstein’s naked pictures? That was the warning.
Europe will take over....but the Russians will not be happy with that....because the Europeans will put troops on the ground to go with all the Equipment. 500 million Europeans will build a giant wall if dead soldiers if they have to in order to fight back Russia
Hey, reporter. Maybe want to mention somewhere in your thread that Trump doesn’t have the authority to withhold military aid already approved by Congress? This seems like an important point your readers should know.
I'm sure this is what that performance was all about. Trump manufactured this so he could complete the task Putin (or Musk) gave him. It was a planned ambush.
This is a good one to read to see how to sleaze cover for Trump, sane-wash all the way through. Lie about the sequence of events and the reason for them -- and the suckers read this crap.
Bullshit. This was decided before he ever got back into office, and short of getting on his knees and fellating Trump on camera nothing Zelensky did or said was ever going to stop it.
I don't think Zelenskyy was sure shot ready to sign it. There is no real defined oaperback agreement to begin with. Zelenskyy came for negotiation going forward. But he wanted European allies too on board and security concessions, for Russia has provided aid (not loans) to UKR.
He was there to be part of the negotiation and UK is mediating supposedly. But then Vance, which uncharacteristically, launched himself which I haven't seen happening throughout American history. Putin and Medvedev were elated. They expressed it.
Maybe according to Trump and his team. Trump probably believed he could bully Zelenskyy into anything he wanted, just like Putin had bullied him earlier.
But Zelenskyy survived talking to Putin, 3 years of war, and several assassination attempts, and he is not bullied easily.
We mean the same document that embodies that multi-$BN mineral rights deal, which Zelenzyy came to Washington for the purpose of signing?
I don't think Trump is happy about getting no signature - but apparently you remain deluded that denying himself that was actually part of Trump's big plan🤔
Seems the deal was even more beneficial to Trump as he was confident he would not have to hold up his end - yet you persist in ridiculously insisting he planned to wreck it by goading Zelensky into an Oval Office spat?
The plan all along. Try to berate Zelensky and make him look bad then “well…what choice did we have?” All for daddy Putin. Of corse Trump and Vance looked like dip shits little kids doing it but it doesn’t matter. MAGA will eat that wet slop right up like it’s a Golden Corral.
You craven toad, they’ve been considering it since before Day 1.
Actually, I take back the toad part. Toads don’t deserve to be smeared by your spectacular sycophancy. Zelensky is a great, honorable citizen of the world. Trump’s listening to Putin and that notable citizen of hell, Roy Cohn.
Comments
B. That ambush was premeditated as hell
Still waiting for the media to actually cover the USA weakness in caving to Putin
Amirite
Of course it was premeditated.
trump and Vance are vile.
Every "news outlet" saying that Zelenskyy 'brought this on himself' is acting as Trump's PR firm (lying).
Cutting off Ukraine was always the plan.
This is all Trump.
The thing is that, with Bezos deciding what tone you need to strike in your articles, your credibility as anything other than propaganda for Trump is zero.
For anyone with eyes to see, this was Trump & Vance hounding Zelensky.
Trump, Vance & co. were wanting/expecting Zelenskyy's signature on a multi-$BN mineral rights contract;
Through their actions, they didn't get it, maybe now never will;
So how do you explain that?
Shove it in his puffy orange face.
Are Republicans so bad that we're treating them like little kids now. "Oh look. Little Johnny isn't throwing rocks at the neighbors anymore. Yay for Johnny!"
JFC
Don't give cover to treason.
Taking stenography from the "look what he made us do" crowd at the Trump administration isn't going to cut it.
The term "sell-out" fell out of favour since the 70s but I think it can be defined by use here.
Then again, if you had the guts to tell the truth you wouldn't be working for the Post.
Why did you leave out Trump's claim that Putin had to suffer from the Russia "witch hunt"? Seems like that was a big part of his anger and cause for retribution.
You guys might as well be state press.
Shame on you, John: gaslighting Americans. Time to catch yourself on!
https://youtu.be/WE3OUqTLW64?si=yuJBfGUn0BLx6jxA
Bully to concede
What an absolute load of crap - “dramatic plunge in relations”. You should feel shame but of course you don’t. Good job, Boris!
The decision, made prior to Trump's election, would words words words some other words ......
There. You're welcome.
You can parrot Trump’s lies but they’re still lies.
Understand already you're in an #autocracy now. Thread: https://bsky.app/profile/idiokratie.bsky.social/post/3lhyacyz3du2b
This was ALWAYS the goal.
Look at John Hudson's post:
Trump Admin considering ending all UKR aid b/c of what happened in Oval Office
What's controversial about that? It's a fact - presuming Hudson has good info from his sources, rules that as a professional journo he knows how to play by
Cutting off Ukraine was always the plan. There was no other.
I was only responding to the journalist’s posts on Trump illegally impounding Congressionally approved armaments and supplies, cutting off Ukraine 🇺🇦 That’s his end game. (Seemed floated intentionally by the WH afterwards—wasn’t in the article.)
For an “Art of the Deal” man Trump came over as pathetically weak - the pat on the arm by his VP said it all.
And the journalistic ethics of granting anonymity Trump official so the Trump official could defend Trump? Wow.
I wonder how long Americans will put up with this?
That’s a complete joke.
They ambushed him.
Devastating to watch and embarrassing as an American.
Trump further isolating, the United States of America, and putting Russia first.
Trump, Vance & co. were wanting/expecting Zelenskyy's signature on a multi-$BN mineral rights contract;
Through their actions, they didn't get it, maybe now never will;
So how do you explain that?
It's part of the quid pro quo. We're going to help your election through misinformation and laundering money into your campaign and you'll owe us Ukraine.
It’s in court whether he can even do this
Trump and Vance set Zelensky up and tried to bully him.
They weren't responding to anything. They were making him an offer they thought he couldn't refuse, as mobsters do.
Every day, the Washington Post justifies why I canceled my subscription.
We're pariahs.
I disavow everything POS 47 does.
He's the enemy.
Traitorous asshole
I guess it's possible, but I don't see how.
That was trump’s plan ALL ALONG since his campaign when he said he would
He just wanted to perform for weak pretense
You are now helping Russia.
Next time just sign it cut and paste
But "was spent in the US" is irrelevant. What was it spent on in the US? First-class weapons/supplies, many (e.g. Patriot) of a quality only the US can provide - and ALL of which Ukraine has been able to use in its war efforts
Of course I do not believe such lies, but this graphic has nothing at all to do with that: such alleged cash would anyway be "accounted for" under "Aid spent outside the US/Europe"
This was 100% premeditated garbage. They wanted an excuse to pull funding.
It is a total perversion of the USA by two puppets of the Kremlin.
If anyone is still in denial, they aren't paying attention.
Many are tax-deductible for US taxpayers, too.
Never giving up on supporting Ukraine. They’re fighting for all of us.
Don't appreciate the sanewashing. The business-as-usual reporting misses the story.
"Perceived intransigence" has nothing to do with this. This is a preconceived decision to remake U.S. alliances. That's the story.
“…and his perceived intransigence in the surrender process.”
Trump, Vance & co. were wanting/expecting Zelenskyy's signature on a multi-$BN mineral rights contract;
Through their actions, they didn't get it, maybe now never will;
So how do you explain that?
US provides security to UKR, so gets signature ... something like that;
We've seen it doesn't necessarily happen that way & he still doesn't answer this:
Why did Trump allegedly plan this incident when it would mean blowing up the mineral rights arrangement?
The US is a Russian oblast now.
1939.
Putin-Trump-Pakt. Ukraine.
2025.
1939.
Putin-Trump-Pakt. Ukraine.
2025.
Be better, or find a new career. Holy hell.
Vance
Hegseth
Rubio
Miller
Pffft
Trump, Vance & co. were wanting/expecting Zelenskyy's signature on a multi-$BN mineral rights contract;
Through their actions, they didn't get it, maybe now never will;
So how do you explain that?
They and that senior administration official just needed an excuse you're spreading for them.
https://bsky.app/profile/johnphudson.bsky.social/post/3ljbfbku5yt2a
Trump, Vance & co. were wanting/expecting Zelenskyy's signature on a multi-$BN mineral rights contract;
Through their actions, they didn't get it, maybe now never will;
So how do you explain that? Or how 'bout YOU, @dwg15.bsky.social?
But you think that derailment of a multi-$BN deal that Z. had arrived to sign was planned ...
https://bsky.app/profile/busbyj2.bsky.social/post/3lj6jfynmq22w
NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/opinion/trump-revenge-american-people.html
But Zelenskyy survived talking to Putin, 3 years of war, and several assassination attempts, and he is not bullied easily.
GTFO
I don't think Trump is happy about getting no signature - but apparently you remain deluded that denying himself that was actually part of Trump's big plan🤔
Just as you are deluded in thinking that anyone reading your single-track argument actually believes that you are anyrhing other than a troll.
Seems the deal was even more beneficial to Trump as he was confident he would not have to hold up his end - yet you persist in ridiculously insisting he planned to wreck it by goading Zelensky into an Oval Office spat?
Everyone should just fucking ignore his administration. “Oh you’re going to tariff us? Ok.”
He’d lose his fucking walnut sized brain. It would take away his ability to control the situation.
It is no more a peace process than the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact dividing up Poland between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, was a "peace process".
Actually, I take back the toad part. Toads don’t deserve to be smeared by your spectacular sycophancy. Zelensky is a great, honorable citizen of the world. Trump’s listening to Putin and that notable citizen of hell, Roy Cohn.