BBC Breakfast presenter Sally Nugent stopped Tuesday morning’s (March 4) live broadcast to share some urgent breaking news.
Sally and her co-host Jon Kay were delivering the latest headlines from the UK and around the world as usual. But suddenly, the flow of the show was interrupted when Sally revealed a major development regarding the war in Ukraine.
She reported that US President Donald Trump had decided to pause military aid to Ukraine, a decision that came just days after a public disagreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Sally began, saying:
“We are waking up this morning to major developments in the Ukraine crisis. Overnight, President Trump made the decision to pause military aid to Ukraine, just hours after he openly criticized President Zelenskyy for saying that a peace deal with Russia is still far away.”
Jon Kay then added more context, explaining why this move is significant:
“This is important because, since Russia launched its full-scale invasion three years ago, the United States has been the biggest provider of military aid to Ukraine. Their support has helped Ukraine defend itself against Russian attacks. Many experts believe that if the US stops sending weapons and supplies, it could seriously weaken Ukraine’s ability to continue fighting.”
The decision to pause aid is expected to cause concern not just in Ukraine, but also among its allies, including the UK and European countries that have supported Ukraine throughout the war. Political analysts suggest that this move could change the course of the conflict, as Ukraine relies heavily on US military support.
Some reports indicate that tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy had been growing over recent weeks, especially after the Ukrainian leader urged Western countries to increase their support. Trump’s latest decision is likely to spark strong reactions from politicians, military experts, and global leaders.
Following the announcement, BBC’s chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, joined the show to provide more analysis on the situation and its possible consequences.
