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“President Donald Trump on Monday announced a toughened stance against Russia for its war in Ukraine, promising a fresh wave of missiles and other weaponry for Ukraine and giving Moscow 50 days to reach a ceasefire or face sanctions. In the Oval Office at an announcement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump told reporters he had become deeply frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin…
“Under the deal, Trump said the U.S. will supply weapons that will be paid for by NATO countries. Rutte said massive numbers of weapons would be sent, including missiles, as part of a first wave of equipment. Trump said the ‘top of the line’ equipment, including Patriot missile systems and batteries, would be arriving very soon… A White House official said Trump's intent is to impose ‘100% tariffs on Russia’ and secondary sanctions on other countries that buy oil from Russia if a deal isn't struck in 50 days.” Reuters
The left is skeptical that Trump will follow through on the sanctions.
“[In late January] Trump told Russia that if it failed to end its war in Ukraine quickly, the White House ‘would have no other choice’ but to impose new economic sanctions. Putin proceeded to ignore the threat, and Trump failed to follow through. [In early March] Trump gave Putin a choice — sanctions or a ceasefire — and the Russian leader again ignored his American counterpart. Trump again failed to follow through…
“In late March, Trump once again said he was prepared to impose economic penalties on Russia. In keeping with the pattern, Putin ignored the threat, and Trump failed to follow through. In early May, for the fourth time in four months, Trump wrote online, ‘If the ceasefire is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions.’ For the fourth time, Russia expressed indifference. For the fourth time, Trump failed to follow through…
“In late May, amid countless headlines about how angry Trump was with Putin, the Republican signaled he was prepared to change course in two weeks. He did not change course… [Now] Trump decided to give Putin another 50 days… Asked what he’d do if Putin ignores the threat, the American president said he didn’t want to talk about it.”
Steve Benen, MSNBC
“Right after Trump’s announcement, the Russian stock market rose sharply. It seems that investors in the Moscow exchange were expecting Trump to lay down harsher measures than he did…
“[The big loophole] is the 50-day deadline for Putin to lay down his arms. It means Putin can keep fighting with no penalty until Sept. 2—plenty of time to launch the ‘summer offensive’ that he’s hoping (probably over-optimistically) will break the long deadlock and pave a road to victory for Russian troops.”
Fred Kaplan, Slate
“What if Putin refuses to make peace?… Is Trump ready to ramp up the pressure? Will he sustain the arms shipments once the stockpiles run dry? Will he seize billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets? Will he try to crack down on the shadow tanker fleet that moves Russian oil? And will he follow through on his secondary sanctions threat, with its potentially vast implications for trade with countries such as China and India?…
“The war against Ukraine has already persisted for far too long, with horrific casualty tolls on both sides. It will only end when Putin realizes he has nothing more to gain, and much more to lose, the longer it goes on… For the sake of Ukraine specifically and American credibility generally, Trump cannot back down.”
Editorial Board, Washington Post
The right generally supports the additional measures.
The right generally supports the additional measures.
“It took six months, but President Trump seems to have concluded that Vladimir Putin doesn’t want peace in Ukraine. The Russian will have a ‘lovely’ talk with the President ‘and then the missiles go off that night,’ Mr. Trump said in the Oval Office on Monday. This new realism is a welcome change from Mr. Trump’s previous strategy of leaning only on Ukraine and has a better chance of getting a cease-fire…
“One overlooked tool that Mr. Trump didn’t mention, alas, is seizing the $300 or more billion in Russian assets held in the West. Those funds were frozen after Russia’s February 2022 invasion, but countries have provided Ukraine with help only from the interest payments on those funds. Mr. Trump may want to dangle this money as [an] incentive for Mr. Putin to negotiate a peace, but it hasn’t worked. Use the money to help Ukraine buy weapons.”
Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal
“What elevates today’s developments into a true turning point is how Trump is structuring the deal: the United States will sell sophisticated military equipment to NATO allies, who will then transfer it to Ukraine… Trump’s NATO-centered transfer system streamlines delivery, shares financial responsibility, and empowers the alliance to take ownership of regional security. That’s a great idea -- and one Biden never executed…
“But Trump’s vision needs more than diplomacy and logistics. It needs production. Biden, despite his pledges, failed to put the American defense industry on a wartime footing. The shortfall in munitions, air defenses, and heavy armor is real… The Pentagon should be working overtime with American industry to retool, retrain, and ramp up output -- not just for Ukraine, but for Taiwan, Israel, and our own readiness.”
Robert Maginnis, Fox News
Some argue, “The issue isn’t whether more American weapons and American sanctions will complicate things for Putin, but whether the combination convinces him that Russia’s interests are better served negotiating with the Ukrainians rather than fighting them.We’ve stress tested this theory before, and it failed. Biden, after all, sent more than $60 billion in arms to Ukraine…
“All of this assistance merely cemented the preconceived notion in Putin’s mind that the collective West was out to constrain, if not diminish, Russian power globally. Putin responded by doubling down on his policy, not aligning it with the West’s preferences. Every time Putin’s back has been against the wall, his instinct was to bash through it rather than capitulate… It’s likely Trump is setting himself up for disappointment.”
Daniel DePetris, Spectator World
