Trump announces new weapon plan for Ukraine, threatens Russia with tariffs : NPR

Juana Summers, host:

President Trump made two important announcements today on the Russian-Ukraine war. First of all, he described a new way for American weapons to reach Ukraine. Secondly, he threatened severe measures against Russia if this does not conclude an agreement to stop fighting. The national NPR security correspondent, Greg Myre, covers it and now joins us. Hi.

Greg Myre, Byline: Hi, Juana.

Summers: So Greg, can you just start by taking a step back and take a look at President Trump’s wider message with me? He now wants to arm Ukraine. And he continues to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin. How did we get here?

Myre: Yes, I mean, we now see Trump taking positions very different from those he held dating from the beginning of his first mandate. Over the years, he seemed constantly more sympathetic to Russia and Putin than Ukraine and his chef Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But in recent weeks, Trump has greatly turned against Putin, mainly or entirely because the Russian chief refuses to accept Trump’s proposal for ceasefire in Ukraine. Today, Trump describes Putin as someone who strikes a positive and friendly tone in his phone calls, then turns around and does exactly the opposite.

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President Donald Trump: I talk to him a lot about doing this thing. And I always hang up and say, well, it was a beautiful phone call. And then missiles are launched in Kyiv or in another city. And I said, strange. And after that, three or four times, you say that the conversation means nothing.

Myre: Trump’s critical comments carried even more weight because he made them in the oval office sitting next to the secretary general of NATO, Mark Rutte and announcing a new plan to arm Ukraine.

Summers: Now Greg, Trump has long been critical of additional American weapons for Ukraine. So how would it work?

Myre: Trump says that we will sell American weapons to NATO countries, and they will provide these weapons to Ukraine. Trump says that this includes 17 Air Defense Systems Patriot – Much more than Ukraine now – and they are absolutely essential for Ukraine defending against Russian missile strikes. The president did not give many details, but a NATO official speaking on condition of anonymity to our colleague NPR Tom Bowman says that certain weapons that were in Poland already move through the border to Ukraine.

Now, if all this takes place as presented today, he would simultaneously address several critical problems. Trump fell to the price of the armament of Ukraine. Now he says it won’t cost anything in the United States. NATO countries will pay. European nations can demonstrate that they do more to manage security on their continent. Trump cited the recent NATO conference as a real breakthrough. He is now praising European states for their defense commitments – another big change.

Summers: Just, and what could that mean for Ukraine on the battlefield?

Myre: Well, he addresses the most urgent military problem in Ukraine – a shortage of weapons in general and aerial defenses in particular. The latest major American weapon package was approved over a year ago under President Biden, and this package is exhausted. Russia exploits this by massively intensifying drone and missile attacks against Ukraine, hoping to exhaust the defenses of Ukraine. Ukraine really had no great options. But if the arrangement works as indicated by Trump, it is a victory that everyone could claim – Trump, European nations and Ukraine.

Summers: If anything, Greg, what did you hear from Ukraine?

Myre: Well, we hear some initial positive responses with a certain caution. Here is Oleksandr Merezhko. He is a member of the Ukrainian Parliament who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Oleksandr Merezhko: Well, I hope it could mean President Trump’s mood and position. But at the same time, we pay very attention to this, taking into account the previous experience of non-coherence on his part.

Summers: Now we have also heard President Trump warns that Russia could face severe measures. Tell us what they are.

Myre: Yes, the president says that he will impose rigorous prices if Russia does not accept an agreement on war in the next 50 days. Trump seems to refer to this cease-fire proposal that has been on the table for months at this stage. Now the prices seem to be mainly a threat at the moment. A Senate bill would impose sanctions up to 500% to countries that buy Russian oil, such as China, India, Brazil. Now, these countries would be affected very hard, but it is actually quite difficult for the United States to punish Russia directly because Moscow is already strongly sanctioned by the West and does very little business with the United States

Summers: It’s Greg myre of NPR, Greg, thank you.

Myre: Of course, Juana.

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