On July 16, the Center for Public Analytics "Vezha" hosted a discussion with director Valeriy Klochuk and political expert Maksym Nesvitailov about former US President Donald Trump's changing rhetoric on selling weapons to Ukraine. The discussion explored what motivated Trump’s decision shift and whether it affected his attitude toward Russia and Vladimir Putin.
Nesvitailov noted that Trump is known for inconsistent statements, and concrete details regarding arms supply deals remain unclear. He recalled the earlier "Ramstein" format, where the US led a group of nearly 50 countries in support of Ukraine, but coordination now largely lies with a NATO staff unit in Wiesbaden, Germany. The US is offering to sell new arms to Europe as European nations transfer their existing weapons to Ukraine.
They highlighted that Germany, which has only six operational Patriot batteries, has agreed to provide further aid to Ukraine. There is skepticism about whether Trump’s statements entail serious US commitments or simply shift responsibility to Europeans. The discussion compared US and European weapons stockpiles and the shift in Germany’s position after meetings with American officials was addressed.
Attention was devoted to the lack of unity and leadership within the EU regarding support for Ukraine. The experts underscored that decisions on transferring weapons are often delayed and consensus is lacking. They discussed the roles of European leaders like Merz, Macron, and Starmer, and internal disagreements impeding decision-making.
In conclusion, the participants stressed that Trump’s changing rhetoric does not necessarily mean a fundamental shift in US policy, so Ukraine must keep encouraging European partners for more support. The arms supply situation remains dynamic, and Europe faces ongoing challenges in forming a unified response to the war.
