Trump hits ‘pause’ on US aid to Ukraine after Oval Office confrontation

President Donald Trump, right, meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House (AP Photo/ Mystyslav Chernov)

President Donald Trump on Monday directed a “pause” to US assistance to Ukraine after a disastrous Oval Office meeting as Donald Trump seeks to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to engage in peace talks with Russia.

The move comes just days after a disastrous Oval Office meeting in which Mr Trump and vice president JD Vance tore into Mr Zelensky for what they perceived as insufficient gratefulness for the more than 180 billion dollars (£142.2 billion) in military aid the US has sent to Kyiv since Russia invaded three years ago.