The Ukrainian community in Malta has said it feels “confused and betrayed” following news that the US had suspended aid to Ukraine on Monday.

A spokesperson for the Foundation for the Ukrainian Community of Malta said Ukrainians felt “very worried and tired; it’s been three years of war... we were hoping for more support and instead, we were stabbed in the back”.

"Nonetheless, Ukraine will continue to fend off the Russian aggression with all the resources it has for as long as it is able to. However, international support is vital," she said.

She said Ukrainians felt “hopeful” at the prospect of increased European aid following EU chief Ursula von der Leyen’s unveiling of a €800-billion European defence plan Tuesday, but hoped the continent would “follow through with more immediate actions than words.”

The spokesperson said she heard from personal contacts in Ukraine that Russian bombardments of the country appeared to have intensified since the announcement, with many fearing it was “only going to get worse.”

US President Donald Trump announced the suspension of aid just days after a stunning public clash between himself, flanked by Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Friday’s meeting between the US and Ukrainian leaders erupted into a public row, with Trump and Vance berating Zelensky, calling him “disrespectful” and telling him to be more "thankful" and to make a deal with Russia “or we’re out.”

Responding to the incident, the spokesperson said Ukrainians were “lost for words at the absurdity of the situation."

"What we all observed during the press conference is unacceptable behaviour for the President of any country to hold the negotiations in such a way. It was the shame of the democratic world to witness the leader of one of the most powerful democratic countries behave as teenage bullies do.”

She said many Ukrainians had remarked that the press conference at the Oval Office had “felt like the start of the war all over again.”

However, the spokesperson noted that over the past three years of war, “the only way we’ve managed to stay sane is through humour,” explaining that the ill-fated Oval Office meeting had been widely mocked by Ukrainians online.

Responding to US criticisms of Zelenskyy’s attire – he appeared in his signature military-style clothing for the meeting – she said this was typical of those across her country resisting the Russian invasion: “Our suits are uniforms”.

‘Only Ukrainians can criticise our government’

Last month, Trump provoked anger across Europe after calling Zelensky a "dictator" and attacking him for not having held elections since the start of the war.

Responding to the criticism, the spokesperson called Trump’s words “absolutely absurd,” noting that there had been six Ukrainian presidents in the 30 years since the country's independence.

“How many has Russia had in that time?”

Vladimir Putin has been in power continuously since 1999, holding the post of either president or prime minister of Russia.

The spokesperson stressed the country’s constitution did not require elections during wartime, adding there appeared to be broad agreement among Ukrainians that Zelensky – who she emphasised had been democratically elected – should remain in office until the end of the war.

She noted that with millions of people internally and externally displaced and fighting on the front lines, holding elections would be very difficult.

The spokesperson added, “Only Ukrainians can criticise our government; nobody else can.”

Peace?

Responding to Trump piling pressure on Zelensky for a quick resolution, the spokesperson said while Ukrainians wanted peace “more than anyone”.

Trump repeatedly insisted during his election campaign that he could secure a peace deal between the two countries within a day. 

The spokesperson said there had been a “list of broken promises by Russia, so nobody trusts it - if a deal is forced on us, it will not be a lasting peace, just an opportunity for Russia to regroup and come back”.

She added the "strange fact" that the US did not support a resolution condemning Russia at the UN "appears to be contributing to the whitewashing of the reputation of the aggressor state that unleashed war against a sovereign country”.

The US twice sided with Russia last month at the UN in resolutions marking the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.