[Right_Wing_Madman]

When it comes to President Trump, the blizzard of new reports that he is now saying sanctions and sending more weapons to Ukraine

Instead of reading foreign reports that were written before Trump's inauguration and speculate what Trump will do in Ukraine, you should read the Executive Order Trump signed two days ago here:

REEVALUATING AND REALIGNING UNITED STATES FOREIGN AID
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/reevaluating-and-realigning-united-states-foreign-aid/

"The United States foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values."

"All department and agency heads with responsibility for United States foreign development assistance programs shall immediately pause new obligations and disbursements of development assistance funds to foreign countries and implementing non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and contractors pending reviews of such programs for programmatic efficiency and consistency with United States foreign policy, to be conducted within 90 days of this order."

Ukraine, nor any other country, will not receive foreign aid of any kind (money, weapons, etc.) from the United States for the next 90 days.

[Paul R.]

The interview was in the Wall Street Journal.

[Paul R.]

It’s a bit of a stretch to say sanctions and weapons deliveries are “disbursements of development assistance funds”, don’t you think?

[Paul R.]

Note also that the way the EO is worded, all President Trump needs to do is ask (presumably soon-to-be Sec. Hegseth) to “report” to him (Trump) that the Ukies need another shot of weapons, or his (Trump’s) negotiating position will be compromised. There is nothing that says a particular piece of feedback has to take 90 days.

Now, mind you, I have doubts that alone will budge Pooty. The next step would be for Trump to repeat his threat to flood Ukraine with weapons if Russia won’t negotiate in good faith. If that doesn’t work, he could go to Congress for a bill giving him discretionary authority to spend, say, 4x on weapons, IF needed as a negotiating tool, in his determination. A lend-lease deal with the Euros is another possibility. (I actually prefer that route.)

By your interpretation, aid to Israel will also halt for 90 days. Do you really think that will happen?

This is about leverage, and PDJT can’t afford to start off his Administration with what would be a perceived by most as a “loss” in Ukraine. He has to at least break even.