Trump Set to Reverse Ukraine Aid Ban After Keir Starmer’s Last-Minute Plea
WASHINGTON – In a dramatic reversal, the United States is set to lift its ban on military aid and intelligence support for Ukraine following a direct appeal from UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The decision comes just ahead of critical peace talks in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending the three-year-long conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
President Donald Trump had previously suspended all military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after a tense meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The suspension also extended to U.S. allies, including the United Kingdom, preventing them from sharing American intelligence with Kyiv, told Daily Mail.
However, ahead of the Saudi negotiations, Starmer spoke with Trump for approximately 20 minutes, urging him to reconsider the aid suspension. Following the conversation, a spokesperson for the UK Prime Minister expressed optimism, stating, “The Prime Minister said he hoped there would be a positive outcome to the talks that would enable U.S. intelligence and aid to be restarted.”
In the coming days, Starmer will also convene a fresh meeting of nations interested in joining his proposed “coalition of the willing,” an initiative aimed at ensuring Ukraine’s security post-conflict. A Downing Street spokesman reiterated Starmer’s stance, saying, “The security of Ukraine is the future of Europe, and our support for Ukraine is unwavering.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled cautious optimism about lifting the aid freeze, stating, “I think the notion of the pause in aid, broadly, is something I hope we can resolve. Obviously, what happens [today] will be key to that.”
However, the potential reinstatement of aid comes with conditions. Rubio emphasized that Ukraine must be “prepared to do difficult things, like the Russians will,” suggesting that territorial concessions could be required as part of any peace deal.
According to U.S. officials, Ukraine is expected to propose a ceasefire covering the Black Sea and long-range missile strikes while also discussing the possibility of prisoner exchanges. Additionally, Kyiv is reportedly ready to sign an agreement granting the U.S. access to its rare mineral reserves, including lithium, titanium, cobalt, silver, uranium, and graphite.
Following last month’s failed Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelensky, the UK has taken steps to prevent a similar breakdown. Britain’s National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell has been dispatched to Kyiv to coach Ukrainian delegates on diplomatic strategy ahead of the Saudi talks.
For his part, President Trump remains optimistic about the upcoming negotiations, stating that he is confident the discussions will achieve “a lot of progress” in securing a resolution. In a notable shift, he also hinted that the intelligence-sharing ban had “just about” been lifted on the eve of the peace talks.
Despite this, Ukrainian officials insist they are still feeling the impact of the initial U.S. restrictions. Tuesday’s negotiations follow a recent agreement between Zelensky, Starmer, and French President Emmanuel Macron to coordinate peace proposals in hopes of securing an end to the war that has devastated Ukraine for three years.
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