Russia sees US aid halt during Ukraine truce as its 'minimum' goal, Bloomberg reports
The Kremlin wants all Western arms supplies to Ukraine to stop during a proposed truce but prioritizes a pause on U.S. arms as its "minimum aim," Bloomberg reported on March 18, citing two undisclosed sources in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on March 13 that Moscow is open to a 30-day ceasefire, agreed upon by the U.S. and Ukraine, but only if Kyiv stops receiving foreign arms and conscripting and training its forces.
These conditions have raised concerns that Ukraine would be left vulnerable to renewed Russian offensives as no such limitations are being proposed in regard to Russia's Armed Forces.
Bloomberg's sources confirmed that the halt on Western arms supplies — or at the very least, U.S. assistance — remains as Putin's condition.
Putin is scheduled to call with U.S. President Donald Trump later on March 18 between 4 and 6 p.m. Moscow time, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed. The two leaders are expected to discuss the proposed ceasefire plan.
The U.S. temporarily halted military supplies for Ukraine earlier this month before restarting it after Kyiv agreed to the truce plan during talks in Jeddah on March 11.
The ongoing supplies are covered by the presidential drawdown authority (PDA) packages approved by former President Joe Biden, who made the U.S. into Ukraine's leading military donor.
Trump has not approved any new packages and has made it clear he does not seek a prolonged U.S. engagement in Ukraine.
The EU reportedly has no intention of halting military aid to Ukraine during the proposed truce. European countries are seeking ways to bolster support for Kyiv as continued backing from the U.S. grows increasingly uncertain.
Oleg Sukhov
