White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt vehemently denied reports on Wednesday that President Donald Trump was moving to deport some 240,000 Ukrainians living in the U.S. as a punitive measure against President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The report surfaced amid ongoing negotiations between U.S. and Ukrainian leaders over a cease-fire in the country’s war with Russia and a deal for Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, crucial for use in the high-tech and defense sectors.

“This is more fake news from Reuters based on anonymous sources who have no idea what they are talking about,” Leavitt said of the report that claimed the administration would move to revoke the Ukrainians’ legal status.

“The truth: no decision has been made at this time,” Leavitt posted online. The press secretary included a screenshot of the initial Reuters report in her post.

However, Trump did announce earlier this week that the U.S. would be suspending all military aid to Ukraine, at least until such time as Zelensky signs the minerals deal, agrees to a cease-fire, or both.

Zelensky proposed a new framework for a partial ceasefire with Russia on Tuesday, announcing on X that Kyiv would be willing to release prisoners and agree to a truce prohibiting long-range attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure.

“Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the U.S. to agree a strong final deal,” Zelensky wrote.

The aid freeze has sparked concerns over Kyiv’s battlefield strength and intensified calls for European nations to step up and fill the gaps left by reduced American support, according to the Washington Post.

“Washington’s decision to pause aid — applicable to all future deliveries of U.S. military assistance to Kyiv — could be reversed if Zelensky demonstrates a good-faith effort to participate in peace talks with Russia,” said the Post, citing an unnamed U.S. official.

During his joint address to Congress on Tuesday night, Trump appeared willing to repair relations with Kyiv, saying, “I appreciate” Zelensky’s statement.

The U.S. president also said he received a letter from Zelensky agreeing to come to the negotiating table. “Simultaneously, we’ve had serious discussions with Russia and have received strong signals that they are ready for peace,” he added.

For days, Republicans have criticized Zelensky for what they see as a lack of gratitude during his visit to Washington last week, where an Oval Office meeting reportedly escalated into a heated argument between Zelensky, Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance.

Advertisement

Zelensky acknowledged that the way the meeting unfolded was “regrettable” in his post. “It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive,” he wrote.

The concept of a partial ceasefire was initially proposed by France, which suggested a one-month “truce in the air, at sea and on energy infrastructure” that could be more effectively monitored than the expansive ground combat along the front line, the Post reported.

If successful, the truce could serve as a foundation for negotiations on security guarantees and other diplomatic issues. Additionally, it could pave the way for a potential European troop deployment in the event of a broader peace settlement, noted the outlet.

In his nightly address on Tuesday, Zelensky said he has instructed top officials to contact their U.S. counterparts to clarify whether aid has indeed been halted after Ukraine received various signals for weeks regarding the possibility.

“People should not have to guess,” he said. “Ukraine and America deserve a respectful dialogue and a clear stance from each other — especially when it comes to protecting lives during a full-scale war.”

Sustaining the fight in the long term will be challenging without new sources of weaponry. However, Zelensky noted that Ukraine is prepared for such scenarios, having already weathered aid stoppages in the past and grown more resilient since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, the Post said.