Trump Still Has a Bold Strategy to Address the Ukraine Crisis
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was expelled from the White House by Donald Trump on Friday, after a heated exchange occurred on national television between the president, the Vice President J.D. Vance, and Zelensky.
During the discussion, Trump accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War III” and later posted on Truth Social, claiming Zelensky “disrespected the United States of America in its sacred Oval Office.”
Before meeting with Zelensky, Trump had discussions with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and had a previous interaction with French President Emmanuel Macron earlier in the week, as he pursued his goal of ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The meetings took place amid a backdrop of nearly 200 drones being launched by Russia into Ukraine.
Friday’s meeting at the White House is unlikely to ease concerns for either European leaders or Zelensky, especially after Trump labeled him a “Dictator without Elections” last week, raising fears that he might concede Ukraine to Putin.
Moreover, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, during his recent visit to Brussels and Munich, ruled out the possibility of Ukraine returning to its pre-war borders, joining NATO, or allowing US troops onto its soil.
Bipartisan skepticism is growing regarding Trump’s approach. What kind of “Art of the Deal” is he orchestrating while apparently bestowing advantages to the Russian former KGB operative, who is conducting the most brutal conflict in Europe since World War II? Stand by for clarity.
As is typical for Trump, he is aiming high. “If you’re going to think, you might as well think big,” Trump remarked in his 1987 book “The Art of the Deal.”
Here’s the strategic agenda the commander in chief is likely pursuing.
Foremost, Trump aims to minimize US losses in Ukraine, which he worries could easily escalate into another Afghanistan situation — at least in terms of financial costs.
Approximately $2.2 trillion was spent in the 20-year Afghanistan endeavor, yet no victory was achieved. After the US departed in 2021, the Taliban swiftly regained control.
Trump is also focused on preserving US military strength for what he sees as the real threat — China. The Pentagon has seen its weapon stockpiles diminished to precarious levels through its support of Ukraine.
Replacing critical ammunition could take America’s military-industrial complex between five to 18 years due to limited capacity.
Should China initiate an invasion of Taiwan, the US might be unable to intervene effectively due to a lack of sufficient capabilities and capacities to win such a conflict, as indicated by the 2024 Commission on National Defense Strategy.
Worryingly, US ammunition supplies could be depleted in just three to four weeks — or potentially even days, based on specific weapon systems.
Trump aspires to realign geostrategic priorities to enhance the combat readiness of the US and NATO for potential conflicts across multiple fronts. The Trump impact is already noticeable in Europe, as the UK and Germany have pledged to increase their defense budgets.
The Biden administration’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — which has included relentless sanctions and freezing Russian assets — has inadvertently led to a Russia-China-Iran-North Korea alliance, heightening the risk of a multi-front war.
This is a scenario where the US is unlikely to emerge victorious.
Thus, Trump is keen to transfer the burden of addressing Europe’s Russian issue onto European nations. He is advocating for NATO members to increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP from 2%.
Notably, several NATO countries, including Germany — Europe’s wealthiest nation — have not even managed to achieve the 2% benchmark, despite a decade of concerns regarding the Russian threat.
Increasing European NATO contributions could not only fortify the alliance against Putin or other tyrants, but such a military expansion might also deter future conflicts. Additionally, this adjustment would provide the US an opportunity to pivot its military strategy towards confronting China.
Furthermore, Trump aims to restore the US dollar’s supremacy as the dominant currency for international trade and reserves, integral to preserving US geopolitical influence. Confidence in the dollar has diminished among both adversarial and allied nations.
Observing the US attempt to cripple Russia with sanctions, non-Western nations with authoritarian inclinations are reconsidering the wisdom of holding their foreign assets in dollars.
To reinstate the dollar’s preeminence, Trump likely intends to dismantle the BRICS coalition, or at a minimum, disrupt its initiative to establish a collective currency akin to the Euro to challenge the dollar’s dominance.
The BRICS alliance, formed in 2009, initially included Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
The BRICS group has expanded, now encompassing Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates, all eager to diminish the dollar’s stronghold.
“De-dollarizing” the global economy poses significant risks for the US, and Trump seems poised to counter this trend. Recently, Trump warned BRICS nations: “If they want to play games with the dollar, they will face a 100% tariff.”
It’s no surprise that Trump selected Saudi Arabia as the venue for US-Russia discussions intended to initiate peace talks for Ukraine.
Saudi Arabia received an invitation to join BRICS in 2023, but is still deliberating on their membership.
Trump is probably discouraging Saudi Arabia, the world’s second-largest oil producer, from joining BRICS to keep its significant oil transactions in US dollars.
Trump relishes the construction and negotiation of major deals.
“Deals are my art form,” he proclaimed in “The Art of The Deal.” “It is how I get my kicks.” On Friday, he mentioned that Zelensky “can return when he is prepared for peace.” Meanwhile, Trump will focus on securing his true foreign policy legacy: safeguarding America’s interests abroad while rejuvenating the nation domestically.
Rebekah Koffler is a strategic military intelligence analyst, freelance editorial writer, and the author of “Putin’s Playbook.” She hosts the podcast “Trump’s Playbook” on her channel Censored But Not Silenced. @Rebekah0132
