1. On 24 September 2025, I was on the \u201cDeep Dive\u201d with Lt. Col. (ret.) Danny Davis talking mainly about Donald Trump\u2019s remarkable comments about the Ukraine war in a Truth Social post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shockingly, he said that Ukraine could not only win the war, but it could take back all the territory it has lost to Russia and \u201cwho knows, maybe even go further than that!\u201d On to Moscow!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, this is sheer nonsense for anyone who follows events on the battlefield. Ukraine is losing the war and there is no way for Ukraine and the West to rescue the situation. Unsurprisingly, Trump said nothing about how Ukraine can stem the tide, much less defeat Russia, because there is no magic formula. Ukraine is doomed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump also said that Russia is not a \u201cReal Military Power,\u201d but is instead a \u201cpaper tiger\u201d that \u201chas been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years.\u201d Well, if it is a floundering paper tiger, why have Ukraine, Europe, and the United States been unable to defeat Russia?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, all of this is just Trump bloviating. The important message in his post is that the he is turning the Ukraine war over to Europe and the Ukrainians and distancing the United States from the conflict. Consider these words: \u201cI think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.\u201d Note that he doesn\u2019t mention the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course. he will continue to supply weapons to NATO \u2014 meaning the Europeans \u2014 who will pay for them and are free to do with them in Ukraine as they see fit. He writes: \u201cWe will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them. Good luck to all!\u201d Those last four words neatly capture Trump\u2019s intention of putting Ukraine in the rear view mirror.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I might also add that there is no mention of sanctions, which many in Ukraine and the West see as a war-winning weapon. And which Trump has embraced in days gone by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump, in essence, is doing everything he can to wash his hands of Ukraine. Whether he ultimately succeeds is another matter, as the pressure on him to do something will surely grow as Ukraine\u2019s fortunes on the battlefield continue to go south. Those are likely to be dangerous days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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2. Trump has shifted from promising a quick peace deal (24 hours, 100 days, etc.) to effectively stepping back from the Ukraine war. He now frames the conflict as Europe\u2019s and Ukraine\u2019s responsibility, offering weapons through NATO but avoiding direct U.S. obligations. He distances himself from sanctions, insisting Europe must lead on secondary sanctions against China and India\u2014knowing they won\u2019t, which shields him from blame. His strategy appears designed to protect himself politically if Ukraine loses, ensuring he can claim he \u201ctried\u201d without risking major U.S. costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zelensky publicly interprets Trump\u2019s stance as supportive but avoids admitting Trump isn\u2019t offering the means for Ukraine to win, stressing only that the U.S. will \u201cbe with us to the end.\u201d Analysts note this is diplomatic cover, since Trump is really signaling disengagement. At the UN, Zelensky framed the war as existential for global security, calling for unified action to \u201cstop Russia.\u201d Critics argue this is rhetorical threat inflation, since Russia lacks both intent and capability to expand beyond Ukraine.https:\/\/m.youtube.com\/watch?v=PUBaDd4287w<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n &<\/p>\n\n\n\n