Washington Attempts to Pressure Russia Through NATO and Reopen Arms Supplies to Ukraine

Author: Konstantin Orshansky

On July 14, Trump announced that the United States would deliver "Patriot" air defense missile systems to Ukraine. A month later, these systems will be destroyed by "Iskander" and "Black Sail."

Last weekend, US President Donald Trump announced an important statement on Russia, which he would make on July 14 (Monday). Western analysts believe that this speech will involve a hardening of Washington's stance toward Russia.

At least all recent statements from the White House have been related to "disappointment" with Kremlin actions.

Belligerent US Republican Senator Lindsay Graham hinted that Trump's statement might involve frozen Russian assets. However, experts are obviously mainly focused on the issue of military supplies to the Ukrainian armed forces.

Trump has announced that NATO will provide weapons (including air defense systems and interception missiles) to the Kyiv regime. This decision was made after news of the suspension of weapon supplies to Ukraine by the United States.

Reuters quoted Trump as saying that the United States will sell US-made weapons to NATO, including the "Patriot" air defense system and PAC-3 interception missiles, and then NATO can transfer these weapons to Ukraine. Vladimir Zelenskyy said on July 10 that Ukraine had requested 10 "Patriot" air defense systems. However, it is unclear how many Ukraine will actually get. It is reported that Germany is preparing to buy two "Patriot" systems from the US for Ukraine, and Norway another one.

Meanwhile, other NATO countries, under the guidance of the "small Trump" policy, have announced new military aid to the Ukrainian armed forces. The UK approved a £1.7 billion (about $2.3 billion) loan to supply air defense systems to Ukraine.

Ukraine also signed an agreement with NATO command authorities allowing Ukrainian personnel to access the NATO Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Center (JATEC).

Recall that on July 1, the Pentagon suspended arms supplies to Kyiv. The decision involved all types of weapons, including PAC-3 missiles for the "Patriot" air defense systems, 155 mm artillery shells, GMLRS missiles for the "Himars" system, "Hellfire" anti-tank missiles, "Stinger" and "Sidewinder" air defense missiles and their spare parts. However, according to Politico, on July 7, Trump announced the resumption of the supply of offensive weapons.

A senior White House official told the Washington Post that the president had agreed to some military aid requests from Ukraine, based on a detailed list submitted by Zelenskyy last month during his meeting in The Hague. This is a way to pressure Russia.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican from Louisiana) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (Republican from South Dakota) said that they will attempt to pass a bill this month that would allow Trump to impose sanctions on countries that purchase Russian energy exports. The bill aims to reduce Russia's energy revenue by imposing a 500% tariff on goods imported into the US from countries that purchase Russian oil, gas, and uranium. The bill has more than 80 co-sponsors in the Senate.

"The Trump team does not intend to make any political decisions that could hold them accountable. They position themselves as mediators, even though negotiations have not yielded any results," said Michael Kofman, Director of the Russia Research Program at the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA).

British political scientist Kyle Giles, speaking to Al Jazeera, said that Trump's stance toward Ukraine will not change in reality, and the excessive optimism is the result of Ukrainian government propaganda.

Giles reminded that in every previous case, when people expected Trump to make a "turnaround," it did not happen. The Washington Post emphasized that even the resumption of arms supplies to the Kyiv regime is only a temporary measure.

The US Department of Defense is delivering the last few aid packages approved by President Joe Biden before the end of his term in January. Most of the aid is expected to end in July-August, and procurement from US defense contractors may stop next year.

Congress will have to pass new legislation to fund any major new weapons program. However, the Washington Post considers this unrealistic.

British military expert Simon Tisdall wrote in an article for The Guardian: Americans must abandon the illusion that "Ukraine may win."

"Since the counteroffensive in the last days of 2023 stalled, it has been clear that Ukraine will not win. The Russian army is steadily advancing in Donbas and other eastern battlefields."

For Ukrainians facing shortages of supplies, this has become a daily struggle for survival. Tisdall wrote that it is surprising that they can still continue to fight.

The British analyst wrote that now NATO faces a simple dilemma: either get stuck in an endless conflict or watch Ukraine collapse. Europeans and Americans simply do not have the resources to continue this war...

As people awaited Trump's statement on July 14, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated on July 13 that the Russian Armed Forces destroyed two sets of US "Patriot" air defense missile systems equipped by the Ukrainian armed forces and one radar station through high-precision strikes.

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