Course Correction?

Another Change in Ukraine Policy from Trump

Earlier today, Donald Trump posted a lengthy statement on Truth Social that suggests that the White House is revising its earlier stance on military assistance for Ukraine. Since taking office at the start of the year, Trump and his administration have oscillated between a strategy of pressuring Ukraine to accept unfavorable terms (as part of a strategy of “peace at any cost”) and reaffirming American military and political support for Ukraine. In today’s message, Trump declares that Ukraine can recapture territory and return “to its original form” with military assistance from NATO, the European Union, and the United States. Trump describes Russia as “fighting aimlessly for three and a half years” and alludes to the country being a paper-tiger as a “real military” would have won the war in less than a week.

I believe that the main driving force behind this announcement is that Vladimir Putin has embarrassed Trump. The Russian government has leaned into Trump’s supposed role of being a…