Trump Considers New Funding for Ukraine
US President Donald Trump is contemplating new financial support for Ukraine, marking the first consideration since his return to the White House in January. This was reported by CBS News, citing multiple diplomatic sources, reports 24brussels.
The potential new funding is intended to send a message to Russia, which has recently intensified its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine.
The source and specifics of this potential financial support for Kyiv remain unclear. However, US officials informed CBS News that Trump has access to $3.85 billion remaining from the funds allocated during Joe Biden’s presidency, which could be used for military equipment shipments to Ukraine. Former officials also told CBS News that the US president has the authority to seize approximately $5 billion in Russian assets and redirect them to Ukraine, although neither Trump nor Biden has utilized this power.
This week, Trump hinted at plans to provide Ukraine with additional defensive weapons. Just days earlier, his administration had suspended some arms deliveries to Kyiv, a decision the White House described as part of a broader review of American arms supplies.
Since the start of 2022, the US has delivered military assistance to Ukraine amounting to tens of billions of dollars. Previously, Trump had criticized these expenditures and encouraged both Ukraine and Russia to negotiate a peace agreement while periodically assailing both nations.
Recently, Trump’s frustration with Russia has surfaced. Last week, the US president expressed disappointment following a conversation with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and later suggested that Russia’s attacks on Ukraine might prompt him to send more weapons to Kyiv. At the same time, Trump called on European nations to take on a greater role in supporting Ukraine.
On Friday, July 11, NATO officials informed CBS News that they are working with allied countries on an “urgent” transfer of US-manufactured munitions and air defense systems to Ukraine, although they declined to clarify whether any new mechanisms had been established for this purpose. The day prior, Trump had a conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to discuss European partners’ procurement of American-made equipment.
US legislation requires countries to obtain approval before transferring any American-made equipment to a third party. Under both Trump and Biden, the US government has authorized the transfer of weapons to Kyiv from other nations.
In an interview with NBC News on Thursday, July 10, Trump stated that NATO would be purchasing arms in the US for delivery to Ukraine.
The motivations behind Trump’s policies toward Ukraine—whether driven by ego, emotions, or interests—are analyzed in an article titled “Trump Against Himself: Who Will Win—The ‘Dominator’ or the ‘Deal Genius’?”
