Even before a Russian attack drone murdered an innocent 1-year-old Wednesday and highlighted Vladimir Putin’s savagery, President Donald Trump seemed headed in the right direction on Ukraine.
Moscow’s stubborn refusal to end its unprovoked war has increasingly frustrated the president, prompting him to send Kyiv much-needed arms and threatening tougher sanctions on Russia.
Trump should now commit fully to this strategy; doing so will bolster US negotiating leverage and show the Kremlin it’ll face consequences if it continues to ignore Trump’s calls for peace.
And he can expect the support of his MAGA base.
This week, Trump smartly reversed a Pentagon pause on shipments of key munitions to Ukraine.
The Ukrainians are “getting hit very hard” and “have to be able to defend themselves,” he declared.
Deliveries of at least some of the weapons, including artillery shells and rockets, reportedly have resumed. It appears the Pentagon was operating outside the president’s guidance.
And on Thursday, Reuters reported the administration intends to issue its first new military aid for Kyiv, potentially including missiles for the Patriot air-defense system — Ukraine’s main defense against Russian ballistic missiles.
Since taking office in January, Trump has continued deliveries of materiel pledged by his predecessor but hadn’t committed additional assistance.
Meanwhile, Trump says he intends to sell more arms to NATO countries for delivery to Ukraine.
While Putin professes willingness to negotiate, it has proven to be “bull—t,” Trump lamented. The Russian autocrat has made clear he’s interested in peace only if it means Ukrainian capitulation.
Indeed, only hours after the president said he’s “very strongly” considering sanctions legislation to punish Russia economically if it continues to reject peace, Russia bombarded Ukraine with a record 728 long-range drones, as well as over a dozen cruise and ballistic missiles.
And this was hardly the first time Putin has blown off Trump’s warnings to “STOP!”
It should be the last time he does so with impunity.
Congress and the White House are still deliberating over the sanctions bill. But Trump already has all the tools needs to squeeze Russia’s economy, which is already struggling.
Working with allies, Washington should immediately ramp up sanctions on Russia’s energy and financial sectors.
This should include lowering the G7 price cap on Russian oil exports, isolating Russia’s “shadow” tanker fleet and threatening secondary sanctions against entities purchasing Russian oil outside the price cap.
In concert, with supplies of Biden-donated munitions expected to dwindle in the coming months, Trump should ask Congress to allocate money to enable further military assistance for Ukraine.
This can put Ukraine assistance on a sustainable footing, showing Russia it can’t wait out US support. Creative funding mechanisms, such as using frozen Russian assets, could defray the cost.
Trump should then surge defensive assistance for Kyiv.
Blunting Russia’s aerial assault should be a top priority, supplying more munitions for Ukraine’s Patriot, National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and other surface-to-air missile systems.
Washington should also help Ukraine integrate advanced counter-drone rocket systems with its F-16 fighter jets and expand F-16 maintenance support and pilot training.
Ukraine also needs a steady supply of artillery ammunition, including 155mm shells and Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System rockets, as well as spare parts for its US-provided equipment.
Projected growth in US production of 155mm rounds can help Ukraine reduce Russia’s advantage in artillery fires.
Lastly, Washington should work to enhance Ukraine’s long-range strike capabilities. Kyiv should be permitted to use these capabilities against any lawful target, including in Russia.
Experience has shown that concerns about Russian retaliation are overblown.
Trump could supply additional Army Tactical Missile System missiles to Ukraine and follow through on the previous administration’s pledge to provide Joint Standoff Weapon glide bombs for Ukraine’s F-16s.
The United States could also join its European allies in providing additional funding for Ukraine’s indigenous long-range strike programs.
None of this would require Trump to stop trying to broker a peace deal.
And a recent poll found three-fourths of Trump voters support tougher pressure on Russia.
The MAGA base understands that Putin is to blame for the lack of progress in negotiations, not Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky.
Putin will likely continue to reject peace so long as he thinks Russia can sustain the war and benefit from further fighting. By squeezing Russia’s economy and bolstering Ukraine’s military resistance, Trump could help change Putin’s calculus.
The result could be a speedier end to the killing and a clear win for democracy, America — and Donald Trump.
Rear Adm. (Ret.) Mark Montgomery co-leads the Air and Missile Defense Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where John Hardie is deputy director of the Russia Program.
