Clues to Trump strategy may come in the weapons Ukraine receivespublished at 11:48 British Summer Time
Paul Adams
Diplomatic correspondent
There’s every indication that Donald Trump has reached an inflection point in his curious relationship with Vladimir Putin.
It’s clear that he’s increasingly disappointed that a man he prefers to regard as a friend has let him down.
After the shudder of horror in Kyiv that greeted the Pentagon’s decision two weeks ago to suspend weapons deliveries, Ukraine is now cautiously optimistic that the US – its most important ally – is once again on its side.
That’s certainly what Ukraine’s most prominent supporters in Congress are hoping.
“The game, regarding Putin’s invasion of Russia, is about to change,” South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham told CBS News on Sunday.
“I expect, in the coming days, you will see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves.”
But what is Donald Trump’s game plan? Is this a negotiating ploy designed to force Vladimir Putin back to the negotiating table, or a return to Joe Biden’s mantra that the US will do “whatever it takes” to support Ukraine “for as long as it takes.”
Some clues may come in the sort of weaponry the White House is now proposing to send to Ukraine.
Patriot air defence systems are vital to protect Ukraine from Russia’s frequent bombardments, but are, as the name suggests, purely defensive in nature.