Kyiv, Ukraine – Ukraine’s government welcomed an announcement from former President Donald Trump regarding substantial military support, expressing relief after months of frustration over delays. As Ukrainian cities endure heavy bombardment, Kyiv officials are hopeful that this new support will bolster their defenses amid escalating attacks from Russia.
The other factor is the leadership in Ukraine was seethingly frustrated. They suffered through what was almost a six-month delay in the Trump administration’s eventual acceptance of sending any meaningful military aid. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of timely support during a recent meeting in Kyiv with Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special representative to Ukraine. After the meeting, Zelenskyy called the talk “productive.”
Ukrainian politicians reacted positively to Trump’s announcement, which includes billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment. Andrii Kovalenko, a member of Ukraine’s national security and defense council, succinctly captured the sentiment with a one-word response: “Cool.”
Zelenskyy said.
“I am grateful to President Trump for his readiness to support the protection of our people’s lives.” – Volodymyr Zelenskyy
The backdrop of this announcement is much more troubling news for Ukraine. Last week, Russian forces opened up with a deadly seven-hour bombardment on the city of Kyiv. The attack left two people dead and intensified terror among the residents. Russia has intensified its military operations, reportedly deploying a record 741 drones and ballistic missiles across various regions of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s relationship with Washington has seen notable improvement since Zelenskyy’s controversial meeting with Trump in February. Skepticism abounds on how effective this new military support will be in deterring Russian aggression. In the words of former Ukrainian military officer Yevhen Dika, the one thing Trump’s proclamation would do is “make the Kremlin laugh.”
Illia Ponomarenko, a Ukrainian journalist and blogger, applauded Trump’s approach. He thinks it might have been naive in how it approached, of course, Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“How many Ukrainian lives could have been saved if, from the very beginning, Trump had listened to wise and honest people about helping Ukraine, instead of the artful lies of that cannibal Putin on the phone?” – Illia Ponomarenko
Ponomarenko sharply rebutted the idea that this support would bring about peace, arguing that such support only emboldened the aggressor.
“Achieve peace by indulging and encouraging the aggressor’s appetite.” – Illia Ponomarenko
Many politicians are doubtful about the real implications of the announcement. Independent MP Mariana Bezuhla, one of the most outspoken critics of Zelenskyy, laughed off the announcement and termed it a “game.” She warned that continued inaction may cause more destruction to come.
“Well, then, let’s see, carte blanche, so to speak. To the Dnipro or Kramatorsk – everything is so appetising.” – Mariana Bezuhla
The situation in Kyiv, especially, is dire. Unfortunately, they are down to only six functioning Patriot batteries and crude missiles continue to rain down on them. Analysts are casting skepticism on the expensive new military kit. They question if this will be sufficient to truly turn the tide against Russian forces.
Yuri Podolyaka, a pro-Kremlin military blogger, described his sentiment on the issue via Telegram. He acknowledged that Trump’s position might shift in the next weeks.
“He could change his ‘opinion’ several times in the next 50 days regarding Ukraine.” – Yuri Podolyaka