The United States State Department has officially confirmed the resumption of military aid deliveries to Ukraine. This announcement underscores America`s continued commitment, with the State Department emphasizing the US remains Ukraine`s “largest supporter.”
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that President Trump is “deeply concerned” about Ukraine`s ability to defend itself and is “resolutely determined to help.” She noted that recent developments have brought “certainty” regarding this position.
According to reports by The Wall Street Journal, the renewed support could include the transfer of an additional Patriot air defense system. This would mark a significant step, potentially being the first instance where President Trump approves the provision of a major weapons system to Kyiv exceeding the quantities authorized during the previous administration. Ukraine has already received multiple Patriot systems from the US, Germany, and a coalition of European nations.
The confirmation of resumed aid follows earlier announcements from both President Trump and the Pentagon regarding the continuation of weapons supplies, specified as “defensive.” President Trump himself has adopted a notably sharper tone regarding Russia`s actions.
We hear a lot of bullshit from Putin, if you want to know the truth. He is always very nice in conversations, but they are meaningless. We are unhappy with Putin, I am unhappy with Putin, I can say for sure. We will supply defensive weapons to Ukraine, I have approved this, because Putin is treating people badly, he is killing a lot of people.
When asked who had ordered the pause in supplies, Trump responded: “I have no idea. Maybe you can tell me?”
Adding another layer to the situation, CNN reported that Pentagon chief Hagset reportedly suspended weapon shipments to Ukraine without informing the White House beforehand. This is described as the second time Hagset has caught other members of the Trump administration off guard.
Furthermore, during the same cabinet meeting at the White House, CIA Director John Rattray pledged to brief President Trump on alleged instances of chemical weapon use in Ukraine. Accusations regarding the use of such weapons by Russia were recently made by the Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands.
Rattray highlighted that the use of chemical weapons is “illegal and violates all international rules of armed conflict.” President Trump affirmed his intention not to tolerate such violations.
Russia`s Permanent Mission to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) dismissed these accusations as “fabricated,” stating that NATO members have been given a directive to accuse Moscow of violating the Chemical Weapons Convention “by any means and methods.” Russian markets reportedly reacted negatively to these developments.
Commenting on the shift in US rhetoric, political analyst Georgy Bovt suggested that Trump`s current stance appears synchronized with Congress, where a new sanctions bill is expected to receive bipartisan support. Bovt argued that Trump is aligning with congressional consensus and the Republican party, particularly after his previously perceived softer approach towards Putin yielded no results and was unpopular. He posited that Trump`s patience, which he mentioned was running out in April, may have finally done so.
Regarding the chemical weapons accusation, Bovt noted its potential severity, suggesting it could be linked to discussions about including Russia on the list of state sponsors of international terrorism, which would have significant financial consequences. He views this accusation as a potential threat held in reserve.
Bovt also offered a linguistic analysis of Trump`s use of the word “bullshit” towards the Russian president. While perhaps not strictly offensive in informal settings, he considers it a “rather sharp definition” when used by one head of state addressing another from a public platform, suggesting the truth lies somewhere in between extreme formality and informality.
Adding a historical perspective on Trump`s confrontational rhetoric, CNN previously published audio where Trump discusses past conversations with Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. In these alleged discussions, Trump claimed to have threatened to bomb Moscow if Russian forces entered Ukraine and threatened to “bomb the hell out of Beijing” if China invaded Taiwan. Trump asserted that both leaders believed him, albeit only by “about 10%” in Putin`s case and the same symbolic 10% (though he noted 5% would have been enough) in Xi`s case. According to Trump, he “never had a problem” with Xi after that.
The confirmation of military aid, coupled with President Trump`s increasingly firm public stance and the backdrop of serious accusations like chemical weapons use, signal a potentially significant hardening of US policy and rhetoric towards Russia.
