Trump’s disillusionment with Putin could lead to stronger military aid for Ukraine, says expert

Military analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko is convinced that US President-elect Donald Trump’s eventual disappointment with Russian leader Vladimir Putin is inevitable, and it could push Trump toward a more forceful approach to supporting Ukraine, NV reports.

Recently, reports emerged suggesting that Donald Trump held a phone call with Putin the day after his victory in the elections. During the conversation, Trump advised Putin to avoid escalating the war in Ukraine. It is unclear how much the Russian president heeded Trump’s advice, as the days after his election victory, Russia launched several large-scale attacks on Ukraine, including the largest drone strike of the war to date, with 145 Iranian-made Shaheds and other kamikaze drones.

Oleksandr Kovalenko said that in the course of his years of presidency, Trump may focus on supporting Ukraine with a more extensive number of weapons and other aid.

“Not with the US Army, but specifically with military-technical aid, in a quantity and range even greater than under Joe Biden. And this is the best scenario for us,” said Kovalenko.

According to the analyst, Ukraine is prepared to continue its defensive military strategy, aided by the exhaustion of the occupying forces, who are suffering significant losses.

However, Kovalenko points out that the downside of this approach is that the Ukrainian military may be unable to advance and reclaim territory for another year and could instead continue to lose ground. Under such circumstances, the demoralization of Ukrainian society in 2025 “could reach its peak.”

At the same time, the analyst argues that the sooner Trump becomes disillusioned with his peace plan, the sooner he can implement a “Plan B.” With substantial support, Ukrainian forces could shift from a defensive to an offensive strategy next year, while the exhausted Russian military would struggle to hold back Ukrainian counteroffensives in certain areas.

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