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Trump pauses military aid to Ukraine after bust-up with Zelenskyy

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Trump pauses military aid to Ukraine after bust-up with Zelenskyy

United States President Donald Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine in a dramatic escalation of his spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump will pause all aid until Kyiv is committed to what he determines are good-faith negotiations for peace, multiple US media outlets reported on Monday, citing unnamed Trump administration officials.

“The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well,” an unnamed White House official was quoted as saying by multiple outlets.

“We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.”

The move came hours after Trump accused Zelenskyy of not wanting peace “as long he has America’s backing” in a post on Truth Social, escalating a war of words that culminated in a stunning public clash between the two leaders at the White House on Friday.

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The decision to suspend the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars in arms and ammunition that are in the pipeline is likely to deal a serious blow to Ukraine’s efforts to repel Russia’s invasion.

While the US Congress has not approved any new military aid beyond the tens of billions of dollars already committed to Ukraine since Trump’s inauguration in January, former US President Joe Biden approved transfers to continue supplying equipment for at least several years.

The US has appropriated $182.8bn in response to Moscow’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to the US Department of Defense, though that figure includes broader spending related to security, such as US military training in Europe.

Before Trump’s order, Washington was on track to supply monthly deliveries worth $920m this year, up from $500m in 2024, according to an analysis by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies and International Studies.

In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press last month, Zelenskyy said his country would have a “low chance to survive” without US support.

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The fresh nadir in US-Ukraine relations comes after Trump took issue with Zelenskyy’s suggestion that the end of his country’s war against Russia’s invading forces was likely still “very, very far away“.

Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump “better not be right” and that the war should “end fast”.

“If somebody doesn’t want to make a deal, I think that person won’t be around very long,” Trump said.

“That person will not be listened to very long.”

Speaking on X after Trump’s latest criticism, Zelenskyy did not directly refer to the US president’s remarks but said Kyiv would continue to work with partners.

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“We have already had talks and other steps to come soon. It is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible,” Zelenskyy said.

“We need real peace and Ukrainians want it most because the war ruins our cities and towns. We lose our people. We need to stop the war and to guarantee security. We are working together with America and our European partners and very much hope on US support on the path to peace. Peace is needed as soon as possible.”

There was no immediate comment from Zelenskyy or his office on the pause in military aid.

Trump’s move was widely condemned by Democratic lawmakers and other supporters of Ukraine.

Democratic US House of Representatives member Pramila Jayapal blasted the pause as a “shameful day in American history.”

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“Let’s be clear – this is not about bringing peace. Donald Trump is siding with Russia, Putin, and dictators across the world over our allies and the defense of democracy,” Jayapal, who represents a district in Washington state, said on X.

Michael McFaul, a former US ambassador to Russia under US President Barack Obama, labelled the move “tragic.”

“Trump delivers stick to democratic Ukraine. Trump gives nothing but carrots for autocratic, imperial Russia,” McFaul said on X.

“This is not strength. This is weakness.”

Trump’s decision is set to add new urgency to Europe’s efforts to support Ukraine and salvage negotiations to end the war.

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European countries, led by the UK and France, are examining proposals for a peace deal after last week’s stunning rupture between Trump and Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.

“There are clearly a number of options on the table,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman said on Monday.

The UK and France have expressed their willingness to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire but have called on the US to provide a “backstop” in the form of security assurances.

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Map: 3.8-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Las Vegas

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Map: 3.8-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Las Vegas

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Note: Map shows the area with a shake intensity of 3 or greater, which U.S.G.S. defines as “weak,” though the earthquake may be felt outside the areas shown.  All times on the map are Pacific time. The New York Times

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A minor, 3.8-magnitude earthquake struck in Nevada on Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The earthquake prompted a flurry of chatter online, but no widespread damage was reported.

The temblor happened at 1:47 p.m. Pacific time about 7 miles northwest of Summerlin South, Nev., data from the agency shows.

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On social media, residents across the area described the earthquake jolting their homes and rattling windows and doors. Some said they heard the boom-like sound of an explosion, while others said they didn’t feel anything or described a small disturbance that lacked any significant oomph.

Brian Cohen was at home putting away groceries in Lone Mountain, about a half hour west of the Las Vegas strip, just before 2 p.m. when he felt the entire house rattle intensely for about three seconds.

“The whole house felt like it was lifting up,” said Mr. Cohen, who is in his 60s. He went outside and saw a neighbor, who also reported feeling the jolt.

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Mr. Cohen, who has lived in the Las Vegas area since 1994, said this wasn’t his first earthquake. “This one is the strongest one I felt,” he said, adding there was no damage to his home.

As seismologists review available data, they may revise the earthquake’s reported magnitude. Additional information collected about the earthquake may also prompt U.S.G.S. scientists to update the shake-severity map.

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Aftershocks forecast

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While individual earthquakes can’t be predicted, geologists can calculate the chances that more earthquakes will follow an initial quake using statistical models of past events.

For this earthquake, it is unlikely — about a 4 chance — that a larger quake will strike the area in the next day, according to the U.S.G.S. Here is the forecast for aftershocks of other sizes:

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3.0 mag. or stronger

Perhaps

26%

4.0 mag. or stronger

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Unlikely

5%

5.0 mag. or stronger

Unlikely

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Source: United States Geological Survey. Data is as of June 4 at 1:57 p.m. Pacific time.  Chance of aftershocks typically decreases over time. Forecast quake counts are estimates. William B. Davis, Joel Eastwood and John Keefe/The New York Times

The rate of aftershocks typically decreases over time, and forecasts are available for the next week, month and year.

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Aftershocks detected

Subsequent quakes have been reported in the same area. Such temblors are typically aftershocks caused by minor adjustments along the portion of a fault that slipped at the time of the initial earthquake.

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Quakes and aftershocks within 100 miles

Aftershocks can occur days, weeks or even years after the first earthquake. These events can be of equal or larger magnitude to the initial earthquake, and they can continue to affect already damaged locations.

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When quakes and aftershocks occurred

 All times are Pacific time. The New York Times

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Sources: United States Geological Survey (epicenter, aftershocks, shake intensity); LandScan via Oak Ridge National Laboratory (population density) | Notes: Shaking categories are based on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale. When aftershock data is available, the corresponding maps and charts include earthquakes within 100 miles and seven days of the initial quake. All times above are Pacific time. Shake data is as of Thursday, June 4 at 5:25 p.m. Eastern. Aftershocks data is as of Thursday, June 4 at 8:23 p.m. Eastern.