A White House official reportedly said that President Donald Trump suspended military aid to Ukraine on Monday (Mar 3), a move that will escalate tensions between Washington and Kyiv and its European allies. 

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"The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well," a White House official told the news agency AFP while speaking on the condition of anonymity. 

"We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," the official added. 

Also read: Donald Trump pauses military aid to Ukraine amid war: Report

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The decision comes a few days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's extraordinary clash with Trump at the White House, which displayed a shift in policy and alliances on the Russia- Ukraine war. 

The meeting between Trump and Zelensky turned out to be a disaster as the two leaders clashed in an exchange that played out before the world's media. 

Zelensky also left without a minerals deal, which would have been a significant step towards a US-brokered peace between Ukraine and Russia to end their war that has dragged on for more than three years. 

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Russian drone attack on Ukraine 

Trump's orders coincided with reports of a Russian drone attack on Ukraine, which was said to have damaged energy infrastructure in the Black Sea port of Odesa on Monday (Mar 3). The attack led to power cuts in the city and knocked out heating systems. 

Video from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine showed fires burning, cars damaged and debris littering the ground. 

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"A strike has damaged energy infrastructure. There are power cuts now in parts of the city," regional Governor Oleh Kiper wrote on Telegram. 

Odesa Mayor Hennady Trukhanov said the attack had knocked out three boiler plants, prompting officials to scramble to find alternative power sources to restore heating to city residents.

Also read: Trump claims he’s the only US prez who didn’t ‘surrender’ Ukraine’s land to Putin, but history says otherwise

(With inputs from agencies) 

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos

Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media.