PALM BEACH, Fla. — On Monday, President-elect Donald Trump indicated that he could reverse President Joe Biden’s recent policy allowing Ukrainian forces to utilize American long-range missiles for strikes beyond their borders into Russian territory. Trump’s criticism came in response to Biden’s decision, which he labeled “stupid.” He expressed frustration that his incoming administration was not consulted prior to this development.
In loosening the restrictions, Biden enabled Ukraine’s access to the Army Tactical Missile System, which enables them to target Russian positions located hundreds of miles away from their own borders. Trump stated, “I don’t think that should have been allowed, especially not just weeks before I take over. Why would they do that without asking me what I thought? I wouldn’t have had him do that. I think it was a big mistake.”
Trump’s remarks arrive as the Biden administration aims to expedite the disbursement of financial and military aid to Ukraine in the final weeks before Trump’s inauguration on January 20, leaving the future of such assistance in question. This critical moment highlights Trump’s potential influence over the use of U.S.-provided military resources in Ukraine, a key element he could leverage to fulfill his campaign promise to swiftly conclude the conflict.
When asked if he would contemplate reversing Biden’s policy, Trump replied: “I might. I think it was a very stupid thing to do.” Meanwhile, the White House countered Trump’s assertions, explaining that the decision followed months of careful consideration, starting before last month’s election. John Kirby, the national security spokesperson, asserted that the Biden administration had communicated effectively with the incoming team regarding the logic behind the decision.
Trump’s previous interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin have drawn significant scrutiny since his 2016 presidential campaign, which included calls for Russia to locate and disclose deleted emails from his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. Trump has often seemed to align with Putin against U.S. intelligence assessments regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election and has made compliments about Putin’s actions in Ukraine. Vice President-elect JD Vance reflected on the importance of recognizing the complexities in U.S.-Russia relations, stating that treating Russia as an enemy would be counterproductive.
On Monday, Trump reiterated his position urging both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin to engage in peace negotiations to bring an end to the conflict, which he described as “carnage.” However, Trump acknowledged the challenges in achieving an immediate resolution to the war, which he had previously claimed he could resolve within 24 hours of taking office. He noted, “I think the Middle East will be in a good place,” referring to ongoing tensions in Gaza and Syria but recognized that the situation with Russia and Ukraine could prove more complicated.
Trump did not disclose whether he had communicated with Putin following the election. Earlier this month, he met with Zelenskyy in Paris during his visit to France for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral. Zelenskyy and other officials from Ukraine have been actively urging Trump to continue supporting their nation.
As the conflict lingers, the situation in Ukraine remains critical, with both sides vying for advantages that could influence future negotiation terms to end the nearly three-year war. Last week, the Pentagon released U.S. intelligence predictions indicating that Russia might soon employ its new intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine once again. This missile was used for the first time recently, shortly after Biden eased restrictions on Ukraine’s military capabilities.
Putin has issued warnings that the West could face repercussions for facilitating Ukraine’s use of longer-range weapons to strike within Russian territory. Biden’s decision to relax these restrictions stemmed from mounting pressure from Zelenskyy and his allies in the West, who contended that the U.S. prohibition hindered Ukraine’s capacity to defend its cities and infrastructure against Russian attacks. The outgoing president made this move amid growing concerns over Russia’s deployment of thousands of North Korean troops in an effort to reclaim territory lost to Ukraine in the Kursk border region earlier this year.
