courtesy of Cagle Cartoons, Inc.
A couple of days after President Trump humiliated President Zelensky and betrayed Ukraine at the White House, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised the “new White House agenda” saying that it “largely aligns with our vision.”
But even before the White House ambush, the Trump administration was taking actions seriously damaging an ally fighting for its very survival.
A few days after Trump called Zelensky a “dictator” and falsely accused him of starting the war, the United States opposed a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine and calling for the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from that beleaguered country. A resolution that was supported by almost all the United States’ traditional allies, “leaving the Trump administration siding with Russia, North Korea, Iran and Belarus, and a handful of other authoritarian states.”
Reports also surfaced shortly before the White House meeting that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “ordered U.S. Cyber Command to stand down from all planning against Russia, including offensive digital actions…” A misguided move at a time when “…understanding Mr. Putin’s intentions as he enters negotiations, and to tracking the arguments within Russia about what conditions to insist upon and what could be given up” is so critical. Moreover, Senator Chuck Summer warns that giving Putin “a free pass as Russia continues to launch cyberoperations and ransomware attacks against critical American infrastructure [is] a critical strategic mistake.”
Many believed things could not get worse, but they did.
A week ago Monday, Trump paused the delivery of all U.S. military aid to Ukraine, affecting more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition in the pipeline “at a critical moment in the conflict.” A decision that Russia’s Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev believes will allow Russia to inflict maximum damage on Ukraine and Ukrainian forces, according to the prestigious Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Then, on March 5, the Trump administration paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine. Intelligence that “has provided Ukraine with tactical and strategic warnings about Russian attacks” and has enabled it “to take life-saving defensive measures—activating air defenses, relocating critical assets, sounding air raid sirens and sending mobile alerts to civilians so they can seek shelter.”
The U.S. has also prohibited the United Kingdom from sharing with Ukraine US-generated intelligence that was previously releasable to that country. Such would further impact upon Ukraine’s “ability to defend itself against Russia’s continuing onslaught.”
Some European states, however, continue to supplement intelligence sharing with Ukraine following the US suspension, ISW reports. France, for one, will continue to share its intelligence with Ukraine.
And some in the UK defense establishment are suggesting “forming a sub-group to allow intelligence sharing without a US veto” in response to Trump’s actions over Ukraine.
There are also reports that the Trump administration has prohibited American companies and commercial services from supplying commercial satellite data to Ukraine.
At least one of these companies, Maxar Technologies, has confirmed the disruption of service in Ukraine.
Along with the pause of US arms deliveries, the denial of US intelligence could deal a devastating blow to Ukraine. It now has much less time to warn Ukrainians (military and civilian) about approaching airstrikes — whether aircraft, missiles or drones — effectively forcing it to continue to fight a war with one hand tied behind its back and blindfolded.
According to an Ukrainian officer there are “hundreds of dead Ukrainians” as a result of this pause adding to the grim toll of more than 148,000 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians already killed in the three-year war.
ISW reports that just days after the pause of arms transfers to Ukraine, “Russia’s military unleashed a major missile and drone barrage on Ukraine” using some 67 missiles and 194 drones on the night of March 6 to 7. Even more ominous, ISW reports that “Russian forces conducted a series of missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian rear and near rear areas on the night of March 7 and 8 and during the day on March 8, and Ukrainian forces notably did not [emphasis added] shoot down any Russian ballistic missiles.”
ISW adds that “Russia will likely take advantage of the suspension of US military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine to intensify its long-range strike campaign and deplete Ukrainian air defense missiles, particularly Patriot missiles that are vital to Ukraine’s defense against ballistic missiles.”
Finally, adding insult to injury, there are reports that the Trump administration is planning to revoke temporary legal status of some 240,000 Ukrainians who fled Russia’s attack of their country, eventually putting them on a fast-track to deportation.
This, according to Reuters, is part of the administration’s broader plan to strip legal status for some 1.8 million migrants allowed into the US under temporary humanitarian parole programs.
“This has nothing to do with strategic necessity or geopolitics,” Russia specialist Tom Nichols posted on X. “This is just cruelty to show Putin he has a new American ally.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has denied the report.
But wait, there is more.
Doubling down on his pay-for-protection shakedown, Trump is now signaling that “a signed minerals deal between Washington and Kyiv won’t be enough to restart aid and intelligence sharing” with Ukraine. Trump now also wants to see a willingness on the part of Zelensky “to make concessions such as giving up territory to Russia [and for] Zelenskyy to make some movement toward elections in Ukraine and possibly toward stepping down as his country’s leader…”
A Western official has reportedly said, “Every day hurts Ukraine, and every day gives Russia a more favorable position.”
This is no way to treat a friend in mortal danger…
