On July 1, the Trump administration announced a pause in specific United States weapons systems to Ukraine as part of a more exhaustive Pentagon review of U.S. munitions stockpiles. The suspension caught Europe and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by surprise. Lawmakers, including some in the Republican Party, were aghast that U.S. defense officials would throttle shipments, even if temporarily, at a time when Russia’s air attacks on Ukraine were at their most intense since the war began in February 2022.
However, something in the last week has changed President Donald Trump’s mind. When asked on Monday whether the U.S. would continue to arm the Ukrainian military, Trump answered affirmatively. “We’re going to send some more weapons. We have to,” he replied. “They [Ukraine] have to be able to defend themselves. They’re getting hit very hard now.” Sure enough, the Pentagon released a statement shortly thereafter that the U.S. would deliver additional defensive military aid to Kyiv.
Several variables are at play that may help explain Trump’s shift.
Author
More on Eurasia
Events on Ukraine-Russia
