Staff Report
Retired US Army Lieutenant General Ben Hodges has accused President Trump of deliberately weakening Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russia, describing the administration’s recent moves as “entirely predictable” rather than coincidental.
Hodges argues that recent US decisions limiting Ukraine’s defensive capabilities and its ability to respond to Russian bombardments are designed to pressure Kyiv into ceding territory in exchange for ending the war, rather than reflecting a neutral broker position between the two sides.
The criticism follows Trump’s demand that Ukraine halt strikes on Russian diesel refineries as part of its military response to the ongoing invasion, alongside his decision to waive new bipartisan sanctions on Russia just days before they were set to take effect.
Kurt Volker, a former US ambassador to NATO who served during Trump's first administration, echoed the concern, saying "the horrific thing about what Trump is doing is that it's got real-world life-and-death impact for Ukrainians."
Both Hodges and Volker warned that if Russian President Vladimir Putin concludes Washington is tilting in Moscow's favor, the Kremlin could be emboldened to intensify its attacks rather than move toward a genuine settlement.
The two former officials argued that European governments need to respond more decisively to Russia's hybrid aggression, framing the current moment as a test of whether Europe can compensate for any perceived softening in US support for Kyiv.
