The Pentagon’s decision to pause aid to Ukraine is a massive blunder — President Donald Trump should reverse it, ASAP.
The White House confirmed Tuesday that “to put America’s interests first,” the United States won’t be sending promised (and much-needed) artillery rounds, Patriot air defense, rocket systems, Hellfire missiles and other weapons to Kyiv.
The excuse: A Pentagon assessment raised concern that the United States’ own weapons stores are running too low.
That news predictably excited the Kremlin, with mouthpiece Dmitry Peskov cheering: “The fewer weapons are supplied to Ukraine, the closer the end of the special military operation.”
That is: The quicker we abandon the Ukrainians, the quicker Russia can squash them.
Yet Trump’s minions (or Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s) have done some faulty risk assessment here: The consequences of letting Russia conquer its neighbor will be far more dire than a less-than-full weapons store.
It looks like Vladimir Putin has the administration’s China hawks to thank for this gift; Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby reportedly made the call to halt the shipments last month.
Convinced that China is a far bigger threat than Russia, Colby has long argued that the United States should be redirecting resources away from Ukraine and toward deterring war in Taiwan.
That’s a false choice: It’s not “help Ukraine or deter China;” it’s “help Ukraine and deter China.”
Beijing is a threat, and that’s exactly why we need to keep arming Kyiv to the teeth.
Plus, China may soon turn far less aggressive: President Xi Jinping, reportedly in poor health, is rapidly losing loyalists within his own government.
He might be on his way out, as the Chinese Communist Party realizes he’s leading the nation to disaster.
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The best way to signal to China, and all of America’s enemies, that naked aggression won’t be tolerated is ensuring Russia’s bid to conquer Ukraine fails.
Letting Kyiv fall can only make Washington look like an unreliable ally that can be spooked (or seduced) into backing out of a fight.
That puts Taiwan in direct danger — and undermines our credibility as the world’s most powerful military force.
Maintaining a healthy weapons stockpile is important, but aiding Ukraine is the best way to preserve US national security and global stability.
As the Trump Pentagon quails, Putin is doubling down: Over the weekend, Russia sent 500 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles at Ukrainian cities, the largest aerial attack since the start of the war.
If the invaluable defensive systems that we provide dwindle, Ukraine’s forces and civilians will bleed badly, and steadily lose territory.
And the United States will look weaker, morally and militarily, for it.
Arming Ukraine is in America’s best interests; Team Trump needs to recognize that, and fast.