[Trump Impressed by Ukraine's New Tactics]
Sources familiar with the matter told the UK's Financial Times: At the recent G7 summit, Trump was deeply impressed by Ukraine's series of long-range strikes targeting Russian territory, openly stating he "greatly appreciated" them. Affected by the evolving battlefield situation, Trump also agreed to intensify sanctions against Russian energy. As a result, observers could clearly see that at the G7 summit, Trump explicitly stated he would no longer grant any exemptions for Russian oil exports.
Over the past year, Ukraine has frequently launched surprise drone attacks on targets within Russia, including oil refineries, gas plants, ports, and military factories. Moreover, the range of Ukraine's long-range strikes continues to expand—Ukrainian drones have now reached as far as the Caspian Sea and east of the Ural Mountains, penetrating deep into Russian heartland.
On the front lines, Ukraine has remained largely on the defensive due to manpower constraints. However, through persistent strikes on Russian hinterland targets, Ukraine has established a form of "asymmetric warfare." The Russian-controlled Crimea once experienced fuel shortages, and energy exports have suffered varying degrees of disruption.
To Western observers, Ukraine’s continuous long-range raids are both astonishing and convincing evidence that Kyiv is using this tactic to shift the battlefield dynamics. Since Russia’s fiscal revenue heavily relies on oil exports, targeting these exports can effectively cut off Putin’s “war funding.” And given that Trump is a believer in the philosophy of “winning,” seeing Ukraine’s successes naturally led to a change in his stance.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868872618088586/
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