Thursday Briefing: How Trump's Aid Halt May Affect Ukraine

New York Times

05-03-2025

How Trump's halt on Ukraine aid could reshape the war
European leaders are set to meet in Brussels today to discuss how to support Ukraine and strengthen their own military capabilities. President Trump's decision yesterday to halt U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine, on the heels of his pause on military aid shipments, could reorder the battlefield.
U.S. officials have suggested that the pause in weapons shipments and intelligence sharing could be relatively short-lived if Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, bends to White House demands.
My colleague Andrew Kramer, our Kyiv bureau chief, told me that 'if Russia sees potential for quick military gains from a weakened Ukraine, the incentive for talks will diminish for Moscow.'
By halting U.S. assistance, Andrew added, Trump 'is essentially asking Ukraine to agree to terms in advance, without knowing what they are.'
Without American-made weapons, Ukraine's forces could start to buckle in as little as four months, analysts said. About 20 percent of Ukraine's military hardware comes from the U.S. But that 20 percent 'is the most lethal and important,' an expert said.
Fence-mending: To smooth things over with Trump after a clash at the White House last week, Zelensky is receiving some coaching from European leaders to get back in his good graces.
Russia: State-controlled television in the country is changing its tune: The U.S. isn't so bad after all.
The Supreme Court weighed in on Trump's aid freeze
The Supreme Court yesterday rejected President Trump's request to freeze nearly $2 billion in foreign aid as part of his efforts to slash government spending. The vote, 5 to 4, moved the aid freeze decision back to a lower court, where a judge had said the Trump administration had offered no explanation for the blanket suspension of aid.
Two conservative justices joined the three liberal members of the Supreme Court to issue the ruling, one of the court's first moves in response to Trump's spending cuts. The fact that a majority of the court ruled against Trump on one of his signature projects suggests that he'll have to face a more skeptical Supreme Court than its mostly conservative composition might indicate.
More on Trump
A woman, a shed and a mystery in China
Three years ago, a video blogger stumbled upon a shack in a village in eastern China.
Inside was a woman — dazed, shivering and chained up by the neck. That video set off what many observers called the biggest moment for women's rights in recent Chinese history. For weeks, the Communist Party struggled to quash the nationwide outcry. Eventually it did, though not entirely: In secret, a new generation of more determined activists had risen.
My colleague Vivian Wang tried to find out what happened to the woman in the shed and to her supporters.
The Yellow Bittern hardly looks like London's most divisive eatery, but its chef, a communist, has enraged half the city. Critics say the restaurant is full of paradoxes — the stew costs 20 pounds but the wine costs hundreds, and the chef scolds patrons for not spending enough money.
What really chafes some are the hours: The place is only open for weekday lunch, when most Londoners are too busy for an expensive, leisurely meal.
Lives lived: Peter Sichel, who played a crucial role in the C.I.A. as a station chief in Cold War Berlin and Hong Kong and later popularized Blue Nun wine, died at 102.
Vive le cinéma
French audiences are leading the charge back to movie theaters.
According to fresh data, the country was one of the few that saw an increase in big-screen attendance last year compared with 2023. The trend is related to a French idea about a moral obligation to support the arts outside the home, and to a film industry that has helped shape Paris's urban landscape.
France's uptick is different than that of other countries which have seen higher box office revenue because of premium theaters. 'It's almost mystical,' an analyst said.
Cook: These easy recipes make your roasted broccoli even better.
Watch: The new Marvel series 'Daredevil: Born Again' is a deluxe comic-book adaptation, meticulously produced and filmed.
Shop: These lace-up shoes feel timeless.
Play: Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here.
That's it for today. See you tomorrow. — Emmett
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