Trump's halt on Ukraine aid could backfire for Russia: Retired US general
Ukraine has been fending off Russian forces since Vladimir Putin's army invaded in February 2022.
The Russia-Ukraine war continues to spell "big trouble" for Moscow regardless of whether Ukraine receives any U.S. military aid, according to retired U.S. Army General Ben Hodges, who said the U.S. freeze could even sting Russia on the battlefield in the long run.
Newsweek reached out for comment to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Hodges via email on Monday night.
Why It MattersU.S.-Ukraine relations have been shaky since President Donald Trump took office in late January and took a nosedive on Friday when Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky argued during a dramatic and heated press conference in the Oval Office.
On Monday evening, the Associated Press reported that Trump had at least temporarily paused all U.S. military aid to Ukraine. The pause reportedly includes all military equipment and supplies in transit to Ukraine.
An anonymous senior Defense Department official told Bloomberg that Trump would keep the freeze in place until he is convinced that Ukraine is making "a good-faith commitment to peace."
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands at a G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28, 2019. Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands at a G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28, 2019. Mikhail Svetlov/Getty ImagesWhat To KnowDuring an interview with CNN's Erin Burnett just before the pause was reported on Monday, Hodges, former commanding general of the U.S. Army Europe, suggested that stopping U.S. aid to Ukraine would inspire Kyiv's European allies to make up the difference.
In response to a hypothetical Burnett question about what it would "look like" if Trump ended aid to Ukraine, Hodges admitted that it would "be bad for Ukrainians" and for Europe "for a period of time."
He then argued that Russia had been in "trouble" since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to invade Ukraine in February 2022. Hodges went on to suggest that the U.S. would regret abandoning Ukraine.
"Russia actually is in big trouble," Hodges said. "The premise that the administration is using when they say, 'Ukraine, you have no cards'—that's just not true. The Russians are in big trouble. The Ukrainians have stopped them without us even committing to helping them win."
"So, imagine if 20-plus European countries finally rediscover their strategic backbone and start bringing together their incredible industrial capacity, which dwarfs what Russia has," he continued. "We're gonna regret that they got together and did this without us and despite us. And we're gonna lose an awful lot of influence."
What People Are SayingAn anonymous White House official, in a statement to Reuters: "President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution."
Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, in a post to X, formerly Twitter: "Trump just cut off military aid to Ukraine that the U.S. Congress had already approved. Tragic. Trump delivers stick to democratic Ukraine. Trump gives nothing but carrots for autocratic, imperial Russia. This is not strength. This is weakness."
Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, in a statement: "Donald Trump's decision to unilaterally pause funding for Ukraine is reckless, indefensible, and a direct threat to our national security. This aid was approved by Congress on a bipartisan basis—Republicans and Democrats alike recognized that standing with Ukraine is standing for democracy and against Putin's aggression...
Congress, not Trump, holds the power of the purse, and this funding must be delivered without delay. The world is watching, and we cannot afford to let Trump's reckless actions undermine our commitment to our allies and democracy itself."
What Happens NextThe future of the Russia-Ukraine war remains uncertain. Ukraine's already precarious position is likely to rapidly deteriorate unless it can replace any lost U.S. military aid and resources with support from other allies.
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