Some Biden decisions on Ukraine may aid Trump - Bloomberg
Photo: US President Joe Biden (Getty Images)
In his final months in office, US President Joe Biden aims to strengthen Ukraine's position against Russia. This comes as Donald Trump has pledged to quickly end the war if he returns to the White House in January, reports Bloomberg.
Among President Joe Biden's recent measures, Bloomberg highlights the approval for Kyiv to strike military targets deep within Russian territory — a move swiftly condemned by Moscow and President-elect Donald Trump’s camp as unnecessary escalation.
This week, the White House also approved the supply of anti-personnel mines, forgave nearly $5 billion in debt, and imposed sanctions on a major Russian bank processing natural gas payments.
According to a source familiar with US policy, these actions are part of Biden’s effort to bolster Ukraine as much as possible before Trump potentially takes office. Bloomberg notes that Trump’s promises to end the war likely suggest a resolution through negotiations.
The source explained that Biden’s strategy aims to empower Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, demonstrating Ukraine's capacity to retaliate against Russia if hostilities continue.
However, these steps may not be entirely unwelcome to Trump, who could leverage a stronger Ukraine as a bargaining tool to secure a settlement he could frame as a victory. Shelby Magid, deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, noted this dual dynamic.
“Some of the decisions Biden is making now could help Trump, by likely putting Trump in a stronger place to end the war, with Ukraine in a stronger position for any negotiations,” she said.
Notably, Dmitry Zhmailo, executive director of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, recently told RBC-Ukraine that Biden still has the opportunity to initiate NATO membership talks for Ukraine before his term ends.
