WP: Trump Has Cornered Putin

Washington's position has changed.

This week, the U.S. agreed to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture missiles for Patriot air defense systems, and President Donald Trump publicly praised the work of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to The Washington Post, the Kremlin reacted to these decisions with restraint but stated that they could complicate the negotiation process and lead to a protracted war.

Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow does not view the new agreements between Washington and Kyiv as an escalation of the conflict, but called the U.S. course of action “misguided.” According to him, expanding military support for Ukraine allegedly does not contribute to a peaceful settlement but only forces Russia to expand the so-called “buffer zone.”

At the same time, Peskov reiterated that the Kremlin is allegedly open to a diplomatic settlement and does not rule out another phone call between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. At the same time, Moscow continues to reject Kyiv’s proposals for a face-to-face meeting between the presidents and a complete ceasefire.

During the NATO summit in Ankara, Donald Trump unexpectedly spoke positively about Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“He’s done a tremendous job,” the U.S. president said.

In addition, Trump announced that Washington would grant Ukraine a license to independently manufacture Patriot missiles.

“We’re going to give you a license to manufacture Patriot missiles. That’s pretty cool... I said, ‘Make them yourselves,’” he noted.

The Patriot systems remain among the few Western systems capable of effectively intercepting the ballistic missiles with which Russia regularly strikes Ukrainian cities.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that it is becoming increasingly difficult for Russia to defend its own airspace. In his view, the new agreement could help create the conditions for negotiations to end the war.

Trump himself acknowledged that the decision to grant the license could be viewed as an escalatory move, but expressed confidence that it would ultimately bring an end to the war closer.

Pressure on the Kremlin is mounting

Despite criticism from the Kremlin, Russian analysts have noted a shift in Washington’s position. Political analyst Vladimir Pastukhov believes that Ukrainian diplomacy has succeeded in influencing Western countries’ attitudes toward the war.

“Now,” he says, “it is Putin who will have to rack his brains over how to present the ‘realities on the ground’ in a more favorable light.”

At the same time, military experts note that launching the production of Patriot missiles in Ukraine will not be a quick solution to the problem. Due to the high technological complexity and strict U.S. control over the production process, mass production of such missiles can begin only in a few years.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the United States for its decision and emphasized that the granting of the license was recognition of Ukraine’s ability to master the production of such high-tech weapons.

According to the head of state, the parties must now agree on a schedule for launching production. He emphasized that the sooner the relevant agreements are reached, the sooner Ukraine will be able to begin manufacturing Patriot missiles on its own territory.

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