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Denys Shmyhal, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, has said that the embattled nation still has the means to hold its own in the fight against Russia amidst President Donald Trump's decision to pause military aid to Kyiv.
Knewz.com has learned that the latest move from the Trump administration came days after the "explosive" meeting between the American President and Volodymyr Zelensky, during which Trump criticized the latter for not being sufficiently grateful for the aid provided by America.
Regarding the supply of military aid to Ukraine, a U.S. official said in a statement to the press on Monday, March 3, "President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution."
The meeting between Trump and Zelensky on February 28 saw Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance emphasizing on the need for diplomacy to resolve the Ukraine war, something Zelensky is opposed to when it comes to Vladimir Putin.
"What kind of diplomacy are you talking about, JD?" Zelensky said, addressing the Vice President, after recounting instances of failed diplomatic efforts with Russia.
"I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of your country," came Vance's reply.
However, Zelensky "openly challenged Trump over his softer approach toward Putin," according to reports, and urged him to "make no compromises with a killer."
The falling out between Ukraine and the U.S. also upended the potential minerals deal between the two nations, which Ukraine hoped would pivot Trump back to supporting Kyiv's war efforts and "potentially win support from Republicans in Congress for a new round of aid," per reports.
Notably, the Ukrainian President addressed the disastrous White House meeting in a recent social media statement, saying:
"Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive."
It is worth noting that Zelensky's statement followed a statement made by Trump on his Truth Social platform, where he wrote that "President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved" and that "he can come back when he is ready for Peace."
"What he's got to say is, 'I want to make peace.' He doesn’t have to stand there and say 'Putin this, Putin that,' all negative things. He’s got to say, 'I want to make peace.' I don't want to fight a war anymore," Trump later told reporters.
However, Zelensky seems to be open to negotiations and the potential mineral deal, as he further wrote:
"None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts."
"Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively," he added.
"We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky — ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure — and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same," the Ukrainian President said.
The truce in the sky and on the sea was proposed by France and Britain following the meeting between European leaders and President Zelensky in London on Sunday, March 2.
"There will be no European troops on Ukrainian soil in the coming weeks... The question is how we use this time to try to obtain an accessible truce, with negotiations that will take several weeks and then, once peace is signed, a deployment," French President Emmanuel Macron said in the aftermath of the talks in London.
"We want peace. We don’t want it at any price, without guarantees," Macron added.
On the other hand, the European Union will hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday, March 6, where they plan to arrange $21 billion in military aid for Ukraine.
As of now, the Ukrainian Prime Minister said that the embattled nation can "hold out" on the frontline in terms of wartime resources.
"Our military and the government have the capabilities, the tools, let's say, to maintain the situation on the front line," he said.
Prime Minister Shmyhal also thanked the U.S. and emphasized that Ukraine "wanted mutually beneficial cooperation."
"We will continue to work with the U.S. through all available channels in a calm manner... We only have one plan - to win and to survive. Either we win, or the Plan B will be written by someone else," the Ukrainian Prime Minister was quoted as saying.