Palm Beach, Florida — President-elect Donald Trump indicated on Monday that he may reverse President Joe Biden’s recent decision to permit Ukrainian forces to utilize American long-range weapons to target deeper into Russian territory. Trump criticized Biden’s decision as “stupid,” stating that his incoming administration was not consulted beforehand. Biden’s relaxation of restrictions granted Ukraine the ability to use the U.S.-provided Army Tactical Missile System to strike Russian positions hundreds of miles away from their border.
“I don’t think that should have been allowed, especially not just weeks before I assume office,” Trump remarked during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort. “Why would they make that move without seeking my opinion? I wouldn’t have approved it. I believe it was a major mistake.”
Trump’s sharp rebuke of the Biden administration’s action comes as the Democrats aim to allocate all designated funds for Ukraine to combat Russia’s invasion before Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. Despite Biden’s efforts to expedite aid to Ukraine, it is Trump who holds significant sway over how Ukraine can utilize its U.S.-supplied arsenal in the future, providing leverage to fulfill his promise of swiftly resolving the conflict.
When asked if he would reconsider the Biden administration’s decision, Trump responded, “I might. I think it was a very foolish move.” The White House defended Biden’s decision, highlighting that it followed months of deliberation initiated before the recent election.
Trump’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin has been under scrutiny since his 2016 campaign, during which he urged Russia to reveal emails from his opponent, Hillary Clinton. Trump has previously sided with Putin over U.S. intelligence officials and has praised the Russian leader for invading Ukraine. Vice President-elect JD Vance has emphasized the importance of avoiding an adversarial approach towards Russia.
Trump reiterated his call for negotiations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the conflict, condemning the devastation caused by the war. While Trump previously claimed he could swiftly resolve the conflict upon assuming office, he acknowledged on Monday that finding a resolution might be challenging.
There is a need to confirm whether he has spoken with Putin since the election. Zelenskyy had a meeting with Trump in Paris earlier this month, coinciding with the president-elect’s visit to France for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral. Ukrainian officials, led by Zelenskyy, have been putting forth significant efforts to urge Trump to continue supporting Ukraine. However, the situation in Ukraine remains complex as both sides vie for a strategic advantage on the battlefield to strengthen their positions in potential negotiations to end the nearly three-year war. The Pentagon recently disclosed U.S. intelligence indicating that Russia may imminently deploy its new intermediate-range ballistic missile, posing a threat to Ukraine.
Putin unveiled this missile for the first time just days after Biden eased restrictions on Ukraine. The Russian leader cautioned the West that the next deployment could target Ukraine’s NATO allies, who had permitted Kyiv to utilize their longer-range missiles to strike inside Russia. Biden’s decision to relax the restrictions came after sustained pressure from Zelenskyy and his allies in the West. They contended that the U.S. embargo had hindered Ukraine’s ability to defend against Russian assaults on its urban centers and critical infrastructure. The outgoing president ultimately made the decision last month amid concerns over Russia’s recruitment of thousands of North Korean soldiers to assist in retaking territories in the Kursk border area that Ukraine had seized earlier this year.
