Donald Trump’s new national security adviser once proposed removing the American “handcuffs” placed on Ukraine’s use of Western long-range missiles.

Mike Waltz was suggesting that Washington should lift its veto on firing the weapons into Russia as a way of forcing an end to the war.

It is an eye-catching hardline stance on Russia that reflects a notably hawkish new foreign policy arm of Mr Trump’s incoming administration.

Indeed Mr Waltz’s views on the Russia-Ukraine war may have softened more recently, but his pick reflects a future administration that may be willing to confront Russia, Iran and China head-on.

Recent Trump appointments – including Marco Rubio as Secretary of State and Elise Stefanik as ambassador to the UN – also raise questions about the centre of power inside the Make America Great Again agenda.

Ukraine-Russia

Both Mr Waltz and Mr Rubio were both initially staunch supporters of US military support for Ukraine.

The longer Kyiv’s fight against the Russian invasion dragged on, they have become sceptical of the steady flow of aid and finances being sent east from Washington.

Neither advocate a complete withdrawal of US military support for Ukraine as Mr Trump attempts to negotiate a swift end to the fighting, which he promised on the campaign trail.

But they will certainly push for Washington’s European Nato allies to shoulder more of the burden and invest in defence.

Despite being seen as a “Trump surrogate” Mr Rubio was the Republican co-sponsor of legislation preventing any US president unilaterally withdrawing from Nato.

Mr Trump has been vague on how he proposes to end the war in Ukraine.