US Can't Give All Its Weapons to Ukraine, Says Trump
President says he won't put the U.S. at risk by meeting Zelensky's arms requests and advocates for a trade deal and a negotiated solution to the war
247 - US President Donald Trump stated that he will not jeopardize national security by sending weapons to Ukraine if it compromises US national interests. The statements were made in an interview published this Sunday and reported by the Sputnik International news agency.
Trump said: “You know, we can’t hand over all our weapons to Ukraine. We simply can’t do that. And I’ve been very good to President Zelensky and to Ukraine, but we can’t hand them over if it means leaving us without weapons. I don’t want to do that. I can’t put the United States at risk.”
He also stated that there are "great potential for trade" between the countries and expressed hope for a resolution to the conflict. Trump reiterated that the United States needs to keep its own Tomahawk missiles, despite requests from Kiev.
No US troops in the Gaza Strip
Trump also stated that he will not send US troops to the Gaza Strip to fight Hamas. "We will not have troops on the ground. There is no reason for that.", he said. According to him, this function could be performed by a "intermediary" or by Israel, with the support of the United States.
Tariffs against China and meeting with Xi Jinping
The president also stated that he would impose an additional 100% tariff on products from China. "It's not sustainable" for the US economy, but said that Beijing "forced him to make that decision". "It's not sustainable, but that's the number... They forced me to do it.""he said.
Trump accused China of "taking advantage of the United States for years" He insisted that a fair trade agreement is necessary. He also said he intends to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “We’ll meet in a few weeks. We’ll meet in South Korea, actually, with President Xi and other people as well.”.
Context of the war in Ukraine
Trump's statements were made while the conflict continues intensely in Eastern Europe. Since February 2022, Russia has been carrying out what it calls... "special military operation" in Ukraine, declaring that the objective is to protect the Donetsk and Lugansk regions from attacks by Ukrainian forces.
On Monday, Denis Pushilin, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), stated that Russian forces had broken through a Ukrainian defensive line near Novopavlovka, on the Krasnoarmeysk axis, and were advancing towards Yampol, with the aim of cutting off supply routes to Krasnyi Lyman.
Political and geopolitical scenario
Trump's statements signal a more cautious stance regarding arms shipments to Ukraine, prioritizing military stockpiles and the strategic interests of the United States. At the same time, the US president is attempting to position himself as a mediator in conflicts and strengthen his influence in relations with China, Russia, and the Middle East.
