As the world reacts to the US decision to halt military aid to Kyiv, Moscow is continuing its attacks on Ukraine.

Ukraine's Air Force earlier reported that 99 drones were launched into the country by Russia overnight.

Here are some of the latest images from the ground:

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

BBC World Service

By Oleh Chernysh and Pavel Aksenov

Given all the uncertainty over US military aid under Donald Trump, Ukraine has recently been ramping up its efforts to strengthen its defence industry and reduce its reliance on American support.

While Ukrainian forces still depend on the US for critical systems like air defence and long-range missiles, Ukrainian officials speaking to the BBC stress they have made significant progress in domestic weapons production.

Government sources say 40% of the weapons being used on the frontline are now produced in Ukraine. They hope last year’s US$9bn in defence output will double in the coming years.

They hail drone production as a major success. A senior Ukrainian defence official tells the BBC that 95% of reconnaissance, strike, and FPV drones are now assembled domestically, instead of being imported from China or the US.

Ukraine now fully meets its needs for armoured vehicles, mortars, and artillery systems, according to Vladyslav Belbas, the head of leading private defence firm, Ukraine Armour. Domestic factories also supply much of the country’s Soviet-calibre ammunition.

Despite these advances, Ukrainian sources acknowledge that they don’t have an alternative to certain high-tech American systems like Patriot air defences.

“We are working on a replacement. But there are only about five countries in the world that produce their own air defence systems, so replacing the American ones will be quite difficult,” a Ukrainian military source tells the BBC.

Ukraine is also working on deepening its ties with European suppliers, as it becomes clear that overcoming its dependence on the US is now an even more urgent priority.

Anastasiia Levchenko
Reporting from Kyiv

Image source, EPA

Ukrainian soldiers have been sharing their response to the US pausing military aid with the BBC.

A female solider, 25, says it's "very hard to say" how long they can hold out without US support.

"Looking purely at the numbers, probably not very long," she says. But looking at the past, she adds: "It seems to me that we are incredibly resilient and resourceful.

"So, if we apply cold logic and calculations, I don’t think we could hold out for long without aid, but Ukrainians still don’t fully realise how strong, powerful, and inventive we are.

"The real cost of the US cutting off aid will be measured in lives, in more orphans, in more suffering."

A 31-year-old grenade launcher commander in Russia's Kursk region says in this area they can "keep pressuring them indefinitely". They call their command "incredible" and "top class".

On aid, the soldier doesn't seem worried: "We all know that the resources of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are limitless. So if needed, we’ll keep hitting them as long as necessary."

Serhii, from the Kupiansk direction, adds that many homes on the front-line have been rebuilt with USAID, and they use food and medical supplies from them.

"If they wanted to, the EU could certainly replace US aid, but the EU itself is not as united around this goal."

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

Ukraine’s military says it has carried out a number of strikes against Russian energy infrastructure overnight.

In a post on social media, the Ukrainian general staff says its drone forces, acting together with other parts of the army, targeted an oil pumping station in Rostov region, causing explosions and a fire.

Separately, Ukraine targeted the Syzran oil refinery in Samara region, causing a fire, the general staff said.

In the third attack, Ukraine targeted a gas pipeline at Sokhranovka in Rostov region, the report said.

Image source, Getty Images

British politicians have criticised JD Vance for an interview he gave to Fox News last night.

One line has picked up significant attention in the UK: Vance said that the US-proposed rare minerals deal - which remains unsigned - was a "way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years".

His remarks were interpreted by many UK media outlets, politicians and armed forces personnel as referring to Britain and France - the only two nations which have so far said they would be willing to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine if and when the war ends.

"It’s deeply disrespectful to ignore such service & sacrifice," shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge writes on X.

Similar remarks were shared by the former veterans minister, Johnny Mercer, who also calls Vance a "clown".

Lib Dem MP Helen Maguire, a former captain, says Vance is "erasing the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq + Afghanistan from history".

In response, Vance writes on X: "This is absurdly dishonest. I don’t even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond."

Image source, Getty Images

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer held a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Monday night, No 10 says.

The readout of today’s cabinet meeting does not mention if the call came before or after Trump announced he would suspend military aid to Ukraine.

It says Starmer was clear that a peace deal "would need to be backed by strong security guarantees, including a 'coalition of the willing' of those ready to defend and guarantee the peace, with US backing to deter Putin from returning.

"And any deal must be based on a strong, sovereign, and secure Ukraine. He said he would continue to have conversations at pace and reiterated the importance of this work for British security."

It adds that the US is an "indispensable" ally of the UK.

Image source, EPA

Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed he's discussed "further co-operation" between Ukraine and Germany's chancellor-in-waiting, Friedrich Merz, in the Ukrainian president's first comments since the US announced it was pausing military aid.

"We co-ordinated our positions and I appreciate his support. Ukraine highly values Germany’s efforts to restore European security and protect lives in our country," the Ukrainian president writes on X after the call with Merz.

"We remember that Germany is the leader in supplying air defence systems to Ukraine, and plays a crucial role in ensuring our financial stability."

On Monday, Merz described Friday's exchange between the US and Ukrainian leaders - in which they rowed in front of cameras - as a "manufactured escalation" and said Europe now needed to act independently and quickly.

Adam Easton
Warsaw Correspondent

Border reports from Ukraine confirm US aid into the country has been paused, Polish Prime minister Donald Tusk has said.

Tusk told a news conference ahead of the government’s weekly meeting in Warsaw that information had been received from both the border and the international hub for supplies to Ukraine at Jasionka airport near the city of Rzeszow, south-eastern Poland.

“Today, a decision about suspending American help for Ukraine and to possibly start lifting sanctions on Russia was announced," Tusk said.

"We have no reason today to think that they are just words. Reports coming in from the border, also from our hub in Jasionka, confirm the announcements of the American side.

“The situation is serious. I don’t need to convince anyone that it requires special concentration from the government,” he told ministers.

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

It still remains unclear how Ukraine would benefit from the minerals deal offered, or rather demanded, by the US.

In exchange for getting access to Ukraine’s vast natural resources, Donald Trump is refusing to provide tangible security guarantees. He says he believes Vladimir Putin wants peace, but recent statements coming from Moscow suggest otherwise.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Russia intends to fully capture four Ukrainian regions Russia claims as its own (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia), if not more.

And Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, still insists all of the original objectives of the “special military operation” must be achieved.

Overnight, we learned that US President Donald Trump has suspended deliveries of military aid to Ukraine. Since then there's been a flurry of reaction from Ukraine, Russia and Europe.

Here's what you need to know:

• Ukraine's prime minister says his country is "determined" to continue co-operating with the US following the White House's announcement
• Denys Shmyhal also says Ukraine will ramp up arms manufacturing and is "ready to sign" the US minerals deal Donald Trump has been pushing for
• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says Europe is ready to boost defence spending, telling reporters that "we are in an era of rearmament" and the continent needs to "step up" on its defence

• Russia meanwhile praises America's move, with Vladimir Putin's spokesman saying it is likely the "best contribution" to the cause of peace
• We are yet to hear from Trump on the announcement. Last night, a White House official said Trump is "focused on peace"
• And the war continues - the Ukrainian Air Force says 99 drones were launched into the country by Russia overnight, most of which were repelled

More from the Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who is speaking to reporters.

He says Ukraine has had "various times during these three years [since Russia launched its full-scale invasion]" when aid has been delayed.

On continuing fighting, he says: "We Ukrainians have no choice... this defence doesn't give us a pause because the enemy does not give us a pause.

"We are confident that we are supplying our army with everything necessary whatever the circumstances."

This year, Ukraine plans to increase domestic arms manufacturing by 50%, he adds, saying this can meet "all our needs" in naval technology and land drones.

Ukraine is also manufacturing its own artillery and will meet all of its needs domestically this year, Shmyhal adds.

A Ukrainian MP has called on Volodymyr Zelensky to apologise for his conduct during his White House visit last week - in which he, Donald Trump and JD Vance rowed in front of cameras.

Oleksiy Goncharenko, a member of Ukraine's European Solidarity opposition party, told BBC Cymru that Zelensky "should have acted in a different way" during the meeting, "because it's not a kindergarten, it's not boxing. It's about the lives of millions of people".

"What is more important, pride of President Zelensky, or lives of millions of people for whom he is responsible? He needs to apologise."

Last Friday, Zelensky visited the Oval Office in Washington DC, hoping for positive talks with the US president and a signed Ukraine-US minerals deal.

But the discussion quickly collapsed in front of the world's media, with Trump and his Vice-President JD Vance demanding Zelensky to show more gratitude for years of US support.

Tempers particularly flared between Zelensky and Vance, with the latter accusing the Ukrainian president of "litigating" the situation in front of the American media.

Minutes after the fiery exchange, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Zelensky could "come back when he is ready for peace".

Image source, Reuters

Ukraine's prime minister has said his country is "firmly determined to continue co-operating with the United States" following the news that the US is pausing aid to Kyiv.

Speaking at a news conference moments ago, Denys Shmyhal says Ukraine "will continue through diplomatic and other channels available" to work with the US to "make sure that Ukraine and the United States continue fighting for lasting peace".

He says US military aid is "critical", adding that American support has saved thousands of Ukrainian lives.

Shmyhal says a peace agreement needs to be reached, but that it must be on "Ukraine's terms... as a victim" and that there also needs to be a "punishment" for Russia.

Shmyhal also says Ukraine is "ready to sign" the mineral deal that would give the US access to Ukraine's deposits of rare earth minerals.

Shmyhal thanks America for three years of continued support.

He also thanks Europe for its support, and calls European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's recently announced plans for extra defence funding "an important first step".

Image source, Reuters

People in Kyiv have been reacting this morning to the aid decision overnight.

Speaking to Reuters news agency, Liudmyla Chubik says she thinks people don't need to worry: "This decision is not final."

Marianna Diianova, 18, says the move "was predictable because Trump is crazy".

"I am not particularly scared about it because it was predictable," she continues.

"We will sort it out somehow. It will be fine."

She adds that "co-operation with the Americans is probably out of question", but will wait to see what happens next.

But another local, Olena Bilova, is more downbeat.

"Unfortunately, the history repeats itself. It is not the first time the United States act like that. But let's hope that American civil society and elites of the European Union will not leave us alone."

Image source, Reuters

Nato members were not consulted on the US's decision to stop sending military aid to Ukraine, Poland, a member of the military alliance, has said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Pawel Wronski tells reporters that the decision is "very important" and the situation "is very serious".

He adds it had been taken "without informing, nor consulting" the United States' allies in the US-led Nato military alliance.

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

Ukraine has a weapons stockpile that would last six months, a member of the Ukrainian parliament's defence committee has said.

Ukrainian MP Fedir Venislavsky tells Ukrainian news agency RBC: "I think we've definitely got enough resources to last about half a year even without consistent help from the US, but of course it will be much more difficult."

He says Ukraine must now consider ways of compensating for the "quantity and quality of weapons" sourced from the US.

According to Venislavsky, the Ukrainian parliament's defence committee has already held a meeting behind closed doors to discuss "the negative scenario of the possible stop to US military assistance".

The US decision to pause military aid to Kyiv "looks like siding with Russia", a Ukrainian MP told the BBC earlier.

Oleksandr Merezhko, a member of President Zelensky's party, told BBC Breakfast the decision was "disastrous" for Ukraine, which he said cannot defend itself effectively without military aid from the US.

Questions could grow over Starmer's approach to US and Ukrainepublished at 09:49 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March

09:49 GMT 4 March

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

It’s clear this morning that the UK’s Ukraine strategy is unchanged by President Trump’s decision on military aid.

As we saw in the House of Commons yesterday, as MPs from different parties lined up to laud Sir Keir Starmer, it’s a strategy which has broad support across the political spectrum.

But how deep is that support? We may be about to find out.

It’s one thing for the prime minister to vow to do all he can to bring Presidents Trump and Zelensky back together. But to be a bridge between both countries, Starmer will in time need evidence that he has influence on both sides of that bridge.

Towards the end of the Commons statement yesterday the prime minister was asked about US media reports about Trump considering withdrawing military aid, and replied that that was not his understanding of the US position. Evidently he was wrong.

Starmer will consider small indignities like that well worth it if his strategy pays off. But if it does not, if the temporary pause in aid becomes permanent, if the US security guarantees are not proffered, then before long questions about Starmer’s approach to Ukraine will give way to much more fundamental questions about the viability of the transatlantic alliance.

Steve Rosenberg
Russia editor

On the daily Kremlin conference call, I just asked President Putin’s spokesman for his reaction to America pausing military aid to Ukraine.

“Of course, we still need to check the details,” Dmitry Peskov says. “If it’s true, then this is a decision which could really push the Kyiv regime to a peace process.”

Later on in the call, Peskov adds that the United States had been the main supplier of weapons for Ukraine.

“If the US stops, or pauses these supplies, this will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace,” he says.

Laura Gozzi
Europe reporter

More now from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who earlier set out EU plans to boost defence spending.

"We are in an era of rearmament," she told a news conference before outlining the plans.

Her short address to the media came 48 hours before a summit with leaders on Thursday at which the proposals will be discussed.

The plan includes three proposals:

1. Allowing countries to increase defence spending without triggering EU mechanisms against budget deficits

2. €150bn in loans for defence investment in domains that could benefit the defence of the EU as a whole - so, for example, air and missile defence, anti-drone systems, and military mobility. This instrument would help pool demand, and joint procurement would reduce costs

3. Allowing countries to redirect funds earmarked for cohesion policy programmes (i.e. policies aimed at levelling the differences between more and less advantaged regions) to defence spending

Von der Leyen said her plan could mobilise a total of 800bn euros in defence expenditure "for a safe and resilient Europe".

"Europe is ready to step up," she said.