Trump pauses all US military aid to Ukraine after Oval Office clash with Zelenskyy

President Donald Trump, right, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office last week. Picture: AP Photo/ Mystyslav Chernov

US president Donald Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine following his clash with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, a White House official said, deepening the fissure that has opened between the two one-time allies.

The move comes after Trump upended US policy on Ukraine and Russia upon taking office in January, adopting a more conciliatory stance towards Moscow - and after an explosive confrontation with Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday in which Trump criticized him for being insufficiently grateful for Washington's backing in the war with Russia.