According to the FT, it is quite possible that Trump would welcome a Ukrainian defeat – if it happened in time before the US presidential election and would allow him to once again criticize Biden.
Former US President Donald Trump may “sacrifice” the interests of Ukraine in order to again become the head of the White House.
This is stated in the Financial Times article.
The authors of the article note that there are still many months before the US presidential elections. But Donald Trump is already having a profoundly damaging influence on American foreign policy. Thus, on Trump’s instructions, Republicans in Congress are blocking military aid to Ukraine.
“While the US Senate may agree to an aid package this week, House Republicans remain absolutely intransigent. As a result, it is becoming increasingly unlikely that military aid to Ukraine will make it through Congress in the coming months—or even this year “, the article says.
The danger of “shell famine” for Ukraine
FT notes: the consequences of such a decision could be catastrophic. Ukraine is already experiencing a shortage of ammunition – in particular, artillery shells. This year it will become even more acute with increasingly dangerous results.
Jack Watling of Britain's Royal United Services Institute, who frequently visits the front lines in Ukraine, says the situation is now extremely serious. According to his information, ammunition shortage has already led to an increase in Ukrainian losses. Unsure when new supplies of equipment will arrive, the Ukrainian military cannot plan for future operations.
“The shortage of weapons is also affecting the desire of Ukrainians to enlist in the military. Increasing pressure on the Ukrainian authorities is part of the explanation for the public disputes between President Volodymyr Zelensky and his commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny,” notes FT.
Even though the EU will provide €50 billion in new financial support to the Ukrainian government, European production lines are not yet ready to fill the ammunition gap left by the Americans. According to analysts, this will last at least until 2025. And the second half of this year is potentially very dangerous for Ukraine.
Watling believes that the effects of the ammunition shortage “will be felt slowly at first, and then quickly.” He warns that “When it gets to the point where the consequences become very obvious, it will be too late.”
“Trump doesn't care”
“Trump and his Republican supporters don't seem to care. They're apparently willing to risk a Russian victory if it slightly improves Trump's chances of beating President Joe Biden in November,” the publication writes.
Some of the Republican reluctance to provide new aid to Ukraine stems from genuine skepticism about the war. But most of the delays are simply due to Trump's refusal to give Biden anything that looks like a “victory” on the eve of the presidential election.
In 2023, Republicans demanded that military aid to Ukraine be tied to new measures and money for US border security. Democrats agreed. But Trump and the Republicans never gave an answer.
“Clearly Trump wants to be driven by the idea that Biden presided over chaos and defeat – from the southern border to Kabul and Kiev. If the freedom of Ukraine and the security of Europe are collateral damage in Trump's attempt to return to the White House, the former president seems , considers this a price worth paying,” the authors of the article suggest.
Trump could benefit from Ukraine's defeat
According to the FT, it is quite possible that Trump would welcome a Ukrainian defeat– if it had happened in time before the presidential election and allowed him to voice his favorite statements about the weakness and failure of the Biden administration.
However, the authors of the article note that Trump could not do any of this on his own – Republicans in the House of Representatives indulge him.
American politicians are in shock
Those in Washington who take American global leadership seriously are understandably stunned. Senator Mark Warner, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, wrote on X that “if we fail to live up to our commitments to Ukraine, there will be no nation – friend or foe – that will fully trust us again.”
CIA Director Bill Burns said that for the United States to leave Ukraine now would be a mistake of “historic proportions”. The solution would be even more puzzling because, unlike the wars in Vietnam or Afghanistan, American troops do not fight or die.
Putin can’t believe his luck
The publication suggests that Russian President Vladimir Putin probably can't believe his luck.
“Except that in a certain sense it is not happiness, but a reward for long-term Russian investment. Trump calls the accusation that the Kremlin worked to elect him in 2016 a “Russian hoax.” But there is plenty of evidence of Moscow's interference aimed at benefiting Trump, such as the hacking and release of internal Democratic Party emails midway through the 2016 campaign,” the publication notes.
FT suggests Putin has made a long-term bet on Trump.
“Unless Congress changes its mind at the last minute, this bet may finally pay off – on the battlefields of Ukraine,” concluded in the Financial Times.
Earlier, Voice of America journalist Ostap Yarysh said that Trump is putting pressure on Congress to block aid to Ukraine.
Recall that Donald Trump stated that if he wins the election, he will demand that the West compensate the cost of the weapons provided to Ukraine. He also once again assured that he would end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours and force Zelensky and Putin to conclude an agreement.
According to Trump, Ukraine needed to “give” its territories to Russia.
The New York Times explained why the EU fears Trump's victory.
Related topics:
More news
