It often feels like the only predictable thing about President Donald Trump’s foreign policy is that he’s unpredictable.
At a NATO summit on Wednesday, Mr. Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It went quite differently than their public disagreement at the Oval Office last year.
“We’ve actually developed a good relationship. It’s hard to believe,” Mr. Trump said during a joint news conference. He added that Mr. Zelenskyy has “done an amazing job.”
Aided by U.S. military supplies, Ukraine and Mr. Zelenskyy have achieved some remarkable successes in recent months. The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates the Russian military is experiencing more than 30,000 deaths a month. The group puts total Russian military casualties at 1.4 million, which includes 450,000 deaths. For context, that’s more than the number of deaths America suffered in World War II. This spring, Ukraine even regained some territory.
Ukrainian drones have penetrated far into Russia, including attacks on Moscow. In May, Russian President Vladimir Putin even scaled back his annual “victory parade” over fears Ukraine would successfully attack its military equipment. Mr. Trump announced a brief ceasefire, and Mr. Zelenskyy said he would “permit the holding of a parade in the city of Moscow.”
Ukrainian drones have successfully attacked Russia’s oil industry. Many Russians are now experiencing gas shortages. Russia has even banned the export of diesel to help shore up domestic supplies.
Mr. Trump’s praise came with a major policy change. He said Ukraine would receive a license to build Patriot air-defense systems.
“We’ll give them the right to make Patriots. We’ll show them how to do it,” Mr. Trump said. “I think they can produce them pretty quickly.”
These missile systems are the only weapon that can intercept Russia’s ballistic missiles. Patriot systems have already aided in Ukraine’s defense, although it has long sought more. Now it will have the ability to produce them, which should reduce Russia’s future ability to inflict pain on Ukraine. How long it will take to build them is uncertain.
If this signal wasn’t clear enough, Mr. Trump also backed Ukrainian attacks inside Russia.
“It’s an escalation, but it’s also an escalation that could help lead to an end,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump is right about this paradox. You can’t negotiate peace with someone who keeps lobbing bombs at you. Mr. Putin has rejected every off-ramp so far. Some enemies must be defeated on the battlefield.
Mr. Trump’s efforts to back Ukraine and help it continue to win militarily are the best path to peace.
