Former US President Donald Trump signaled to his fellow Republicans that he is not opposed to approving military aid for Ukraine, but that it should “exist in the form of a loan” after months of impasse in Congress.
“We’re looking at it right now, and they’re talking about it, and we’re thinking about making it in the form of a loan instead of just a gift. We keep handing out gifts of billions and billions of dollars, and we’ll take a look at it.
“But much more importantly to me is the fact that Europe has to step up, and they have to give money. They have to equalize. If they don’t equalize I’m very upset about it, because they’re affected much more than we are,” Trump said at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, as reported by The Hill.
It should be noted that total European aid has surpassed US aid for Ukraine, though a significant gap remains between EU commitments and allocations, which would require the bloc to double its current level and pace of arms assistance to fully replace US aid, as reported by the Kiel Institute.
Trump’s comments came after months of impasse in the US Congress over a partisan divide, in which a $60 billion military aid package Kyiv desperately needed – evidenced by the recent acute shortages in artillery munitions and air defenses to protect critical infrastructure – remains nowhere to be seen.
Democrats in both chambers, as well as some Republicans, have been campaigning for the Ukraine aid package, but opinions within the Republican party have been divided, with some hardline Republicans fully objecting to further aid to Ukraine.
A Message from Ukraine: Do not Provoke Putin – with Weakness
The divide has led to a dilemma for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who said he would consider aid for Ukraine but has refused to put the bill on the floor thus far in fear of being ousted by the hardliners within his own party, a threat Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has made.
Democrats, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, have said they would accept the loan in the absence of other options.
Trump, speaking at his Mar-a-Lago estate with Johnson by his side, also praised Johnson for “doing a job” and said it was “not an easy situation for any speaker,” which could be interpreted as a move to lessen the divide within the party.
Trump’s stance on Ukraine has been mostly ambiguous, with him first praising Russian President Vladimir Putin as “genius” and “savvy” in February 2022 following the full-scale invasion, preceded and followed by a longstanding skepticism over aid to Ukraine.
However, in February, Trump alleged current US President Joe Biden – who has officially called for more aid to Kyiv – to be a weak leader who will “give” Ukraine to Putin, suggesting that he would do more for Ukraine.
In an earlier comment made in September 2023, Trump also said he would end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours without providing details, with a recent Washington Post report claiming that Trump’s plan would require Ukraine to cede Donbas and Crimea, which would be a strategically significant departure from Washington’s current policy.
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Comments (17)
Trump is worried about how blocking the aid will affect him in the election, someone in his camp has a brain and can see how he was about to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
This is concerning news, it will allow wavering republican voters for whom Ukraine was a deal breaker, to now vote for Trump and have a clear conscience.
Take the loan, pay them back at one dollar a week.
Looks like media have failed to get the message for 8 years now:
The man is a serial LIAR, having committed over 34 THOUSAND provable lies while infesting the White House, alone.
WHEN wll you realize that he is and has been a puppet of Putin for years?
The fat slug attempted to incite a mob of other slugs to do violence to Congress and overturn Constitutional government in the USA.
He will NOT turn from this, as his theft of top secret documents to betray the US to any from whom he expects reward or trade.
HE deserves only execution, NOT repetition of his lies.
@YOU Agra ANTI-UKRAINE TRUMP FOOLS ARE SHAMELESSly DUMB,
I'm glad you've finally found a Kyivpost commenting name that suits you MRGA troll 'jack'.
Putinrump has 4091 lawsuits mostly for fraudulent business activities so if anyone knows how to profit from an innocent peoples suffering its certainly him.
Of course being the record breaking lying narcissist he is, he also managed in his busy life to fit in charges for sex abuse, organized crime dealings, PAC funding misappropriations, classified document thefts, treason and insurrection related charges and misc others for good measure.
putinrumps buddy Whatley who along with his daughter now run the RNC , last week lised Ukraine as one of their 3 national enemies. (Russia was not listed as an enemy). Putinrump hates Ukraine as he was unable to bribe them into lying about his presidential opponent.
putinrump held hostage the weapons aid the US Congress had approved Ukraine before the war (1st impeachment), and he's commanding his MRGA House minions to do the same these last 6 months of the war.
MRGA=MAGA=putin=putinrump=troll 'jack'=ENEMY OF UKRAINE.
@putinRUMP for Jail 2024!,
The fact that that's the part of his anatomy putinrump seems to do most his thinking with, even makes it more disturbing his cult followers adore him.
25 woman have accused him of sexual abuse, albeit some got paid of with hush money. Fortunately one took it all the way and he now his a sex abuse trial cost him $88 million in punitive damages. Going to have to sell a lot of his $59 trump bibles to pay that off. What a heathen. Fortunate for him putin will probably buy 100,000 copies. He's got to funnel funding to his minion somehow.
Remember this putinrump quote from his past Access Hollywood interview. In it he described being able to kiss and grope women because he was "a star": "You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful—I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it, you can do anything ... grab them by the pussy. You can do anything."
Remember when putinrump and convicted child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein use to swing together: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48927942
What a great roll model for MRGA trolls.
@MRGA troll jack YOU ARE SHAMELESS WHINING DUMB.
Sorry MRGA troll 'jack, but we've already been through this and you are still wrong...like about 21 times.
The Senate republicans got the border security fixes they requested from the Democrat government in exchange for approving the Ukraine (and Israeli and Taiwan) aid Biden requested. However as per putins' desire, putinrump commanded his MRGA minions in the House not to approve anything concerning the border as he did not want the problem fixed during the Biden admin. Seems it was not such a big problem for the GOP after all. They lied though, saying it could wait for 10 months for blackmailer putinrump to get re-elected (lord forbid).
MRGA always lies. There is nothing that can be offered the MRGA party that will stop their attempts to prevent Ukraine AID. MRGA reps like putinrump and MGT say this directly; others leading the RNC now call Ukraine one of their 3 enemies (China and Iran being the other two). They decided russia was not their enemy and left it off their list.
putinrump actually states in public "not a penny" for Ukraine and most recently tells them to surrender their russian invaded territories. Thats how despicable the MRGA cult you worship is.
The stupidity of you trolls showing up here still promoting putinrump is of epic proportions.
MRGA=MAGA=putin=putinrump=troll 'jack'=ENEMY OF UKRAINE.
Trump has been Putin's pet since the 1980s; everything Trump does is guided or scripted by the Kremlin. Trump is a traitor and deserves a fitting punishment. When he fails to be elected in '24 I expect he'll flee to Russia to avoid prison.
These MAGA republicans in the house have so disgraced themselves with their servitude to a Fascist Trump that has caused aid to Ukraine to be stalled out as Ukraine suffers and Putin makes more progress attacking Ukraine. These assholes do not deserve to be called Americans. A good case can be make that they are Americans in a legal sense only as they hold no traditional American values. I am totally ashamed of the conduct of these Fascist supporting Republicans. These clowns take their order from Trump who holds no office and is under criminal trial in several courts. The Republican party used to be real supporters of democracy and ready to fight to defend it. Sadly, that is no longer the case. Because the policy's Republican support that are not policy's the average American supports they do not want democratic elections anymore. They want a Fascist congress that rubber stamps anything a President wants. Similar to the situation in Russia where the dear leader gets everything he wants. As Ukraine fights for it's own land and democracy we here in the USA are also fighting for democracy against a Republican Party and it's Fascist leader Trump. May we both prevail against those that would destroy democracy in both our nations and would enslave us if they could.
The Great Donald J Trump will soon be returning to his rightful place in The White House. All you haters will be enjoying a big bag of dicks!
Because it's all about the money. Money money money. It's not about doing the right thing and helping those in need, it's all just about the money. One day Trump will die and he won't be able to take the money with him. That will make him one of the poorest men in all of eternity.
Trump and Johnson, Putin's two favorite dolls, everyone has their own tastes...
I certainly agree with most of what has been stated above. I would clarify that tump’s influence and power primarily comes from the other self serving MAGA idiots in the House. But the rest of the House GOP aide and abet him by choosing to keep their jobs over doing the right thing, signing House Discharge Petition #9. As of last night only one GOP member had signed the petition. None of the republican members of the House Ukrainian Caucus has yet to sign the petition. Not even the Ukrainian American congresswoman born and raised in Nosivka. How can that be? According to the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA.org) there are more than two million Ukrainian Americans, and still, we can’t get non-MAGA house republicans to support the discharge petition. How can that be? The house has many other caucuses focusing on the EU and Eastern European countries, such as the Baltic Caucus, to name just one. And yet not a single republican from any of these caucuses has signed the petition. ??? For myself, I continue to donate what I can to U24, the Georgian Legion, and others. It’s a drop in the ocean, but it’s something I can do. Slava Ukraine.
Understandably, from Ukraine's perspective, there may be no option but to grasp whatever lifeline is thrown. However, accepting a loan as an alternative must be contingent on Ukraine receiving the support it needs NOW and negotiating a loan agreement later. As General MacArthur had stated: "The history of war can almost be summed up in two words - too late."
But it is a sad day when a nation that has been such a model and inspiration—the "shining city on the hill"—denies the very little support Ukraine needs from the U.S. to fight a war that is as much in America's national security interest as it is Ukraine's. There are no "gray" areas in this war that can confuse good people into making wrong decisions. It is straight black and white, good and evil. No justification whatever - not a scintilla - for Russia's bloody and genocidal attack on a peaceful, pro-American, and pro-western ally.
But—as the book and film suggest—we Americans have become a "ship of fools" with a very dangerous and self-serving pilot waiting his turn to drive the ship onto the shoals. He could have said "let it go" to his acolytes, but instead, he wanted to ensure his imprimatur as a self-acclaimed presiding "president" is included. After all, what could a mere pittance of $60 billion mean to a man who rang up nearly $8 trillion in additional U.S. debt during his four years? American, European, and Ukrainian security held hostage to a man's ego.
God bless Ukraine. How can a country on its knees be expected to pay back such a loan? Ukraine is the bulwark of western democracy. They are fighting for all of us. Just give them the weapons and help them in any way you can.
@David, The whole NATO is badly defeated in Ukraine. Weapons and Aids have not worked. This war is scam on Ukrainian nation.
@SKWish, Hello, NATO is not fighting in Ukraine. If it was Russia would be defeated in weeks. If you really think NATO is fighting militarily in Ukraine you are ignorant of what is going on. And you are also wrong on aid to Ukraine. Before aid was stopped by republicans at the bidding of Fascist Trump, Ukraine was doing very well fighting Russian aggression. You would do well to learn more about the situation so that you do not make ignorant posts in the future and thus out yourself as a moron.
Who cares what putinrump thinks. He's a demented, congenitally lying, criminal, sex offender, 4091 lawsuit unethical, insurrectionist in chief. Same with the rest of putin's MRGA assets holding the US politically hostage. Charter an aeroflot flight for them to russia so they can better kiss their masters' ass. Broadcasting Moscow Margerie, putinrump and Johnson ...etc. do this stateside is too visually disturbing.
Typically takes ~10% of tank to take off, so 1/4 tank from DC should get them somewhere over the ocean anyways.
It's past time to stop MRGA's influence in all democracies. They are funded / controlled by putin. Helping Ukraine stop putin thus helps all democracies get back to more harmonious & productive times.
Pass the Ukraine military aid bill already. Kick Johnson to the curb. Don't count on moscow margerie doing it...she's just bluffing to buy MRGA more time for their stalling.
Trump is not President, and nobody outside of his base cares what he thinks. He supports Putin and every other democracy-hating “strongman” around the world. Trump should stop acting like he’s going to have any say in anything about Ukraine, and start worrying about the humiliation he is likely to face in court, starting Monday.
@Mark Rockford, Alleen al het feit dat deze maffioso een platform krijgt is tekenend.
@D.G, Geen idee wat deze vertaler hier met mijn reacties doet. Alle zinnen lijken naar believen te worden gewijzigd. Google trol zeker.
No one who understands what is at stake in Ukraine cares what Trump thinks. He is a civilian indicted for felonies and should not have any say in critical current policy.
After months of House dysfunction, and trying to appease hardliners who can not be appeased, aid to Ukraine has become extremely time critical. There is not enough time for the destructively divided Republicans in the House to spend the weeks it would require to arrive at a brand new legislative package that would also then have to go back to the Senate. Any package the House hardliners might approve of would then likely be DOA at the Senate. Either speaker Johnson discovers enough courage to put the standing Senate approved aid legislation on the floor for a vote, in defiance of the “Freedom Caucus”, or enough clear thinking Republicans in the House will recognize the futility of hoping for a timely legislative miracle and sign on to the McGovern discharge petition to bypass Johnson entirely.
Yes, and use confiscated Russian assets to pay it back. Simple.
@Dimitry Turdvedev, Precies, alles afpakken! En ter compensatie naar Oekraïne.