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The decision of President Donald Trump to stop all American help to Ukraine is a bitter blow, not only for kyiv but also European allies who have been pressing the US administration to continue their support.
This is not the first time that the United States has retained military aid. The Republicans in Congress blocked the largest military assistance stretch of the then President Joe Biden for Ukraine in the summer of 2023.
Then, Ukraine almost managed to obtain his existing actions of ammunition with the help of Europe.
The Congress finally approved the help package of £ 60 billion in the spring of 2024. It arrived just in time: Ukraine was struggling to defend against a Russian offensive renewed in Jarkiv. The arrival of delayed weapons in the United States helped change the course.
As in 2024, it can happen months before the effects of cutting American help, at least in terms of ammunition and hardware, feel. European nations have slowly increased its production of artillery shells. In general, Europe now provides Ukraine for 60 percent of its aid, more than the US.
However, US military support remains vital for Ukraine. A western official recently described him as “the cream” in terms of weapons.
The ability of Ukraine to protect their people and cities has depended largely on sophisticated US air defense systems, as patriotic batteries and Nasams, developed jointly with Norway.
The United States has given Ukraine the ability to carry out long -range attacks, with Himars and ATACM missiles. The United States has limited its use within Russia, but they have still been vital to achieve high -value objectives within the occupied territories.
It is not only quality, but also quantity. As the most powerful army in the world, it has been able to send hundreds of exped humids and armored vehicles, numbers that the smallest European armies could never match.
The absence of this help can take time to filter to the front line. But there could be a more worrying immediate impact, especially in terms of intelligence exchange.
No nation can match the United States in terms of space -based surveillance, intelligence and communications compilation. And it is not only provided by the US army, but also commercial companies.
Take Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communication network. Each Ukrainian position that I have visited in the front line has a Starlink dish.
They are used to transmit the latest information on the battlefield. They have been essential to coordinate artillery and drone attacks.
In the past, the Pentagon has admitted that it has been financing this line of life. Since Elon Musk is a key figure in the administration of the United States, it seems very unlikely that he is now willing to pay the bill. He is also a hard critic of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Will the United States prevent European countries from sending their team made to Ukraine to Ukraine? When Europe wanted to provide F-16 airplanes manufactured in the United States to Ukraine, it first had to receive the approval from Washington.
And then what about the maintenance of the equipment provided by the United States? The United States has also been training the Ukrainian forces and then helping them maintain equipment provided by the United States.
Biden raised restrictions on US contractors working in Ukraine towards the end of their mandate. F-16 aircraft in particular need engineers and spare parts to continue working.
Trump’s decision to stop the aid can, for many in Ukraine and beyond, seem petulant. But there is also clearly a political objective to force them to the negotiating table before.
The hope among European allies is that it will only be a pause. Without the support of the United States, Ukraine will find an even harder struggle for survival.
