Over the past six months, we’ve seen shifts in President Trump’s tone, which in practice resulted in delayed weapons deliveries.
For a while, the U.S. appeared to be playing a game of “softball” with Russia, but that changed when Trump issued a 50-day ultimatum to the Kremlin — followed by a warning that the harsh sanctions outlined in the ultimatum might come into force even earlier. This naturally raises the question: Will Trump change his tone again?
We’ve just received an answer. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned that President Donald Trump is growing increasingly frustrated and unwilling to wait for Russia to take any steps toward ending the war in Ukraine. Rubio’s remarks aired on Fox News — arguably the most pro-Trump media outlet in the USA.
Here’s a short quote from Rubio: “Trump will not allow himself to be lured into a trap. He won’t engage in endless talks about more talks.” The world already witnessed Trump’s decisiveness during U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities — actions that also followed an ultimatum. Of course, we do not expect U.S. strikes on Russian military targets, but Washington may well take powerful steps.
First, we are expecting weapons shipments—from both the U.S. and Europe.
Second, we count on new sanctions, particularly targeting Russia’s energy exports. If countries like India are forced to walk away from Russian oil and gas, this could reduce the Kremlin’s revenues by around 20% — enough to collapse any economy.
Third, Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in the fall. According to foreign policy experts, China does not want Russia to lose, but it also doesn’t want it to win. This suggests potential common ground between Trump and Xi. A meeting with Turkiye’s increasingly pro-Ukrainian president is also likely soon.
In short, the international community may soon put Putin in a tough diplomatic bind. Still, when it comes to global strategy, it's important to remember that military success on the battlefield gives diplomats their leverage.
Every day, Ukraine proves to the world that we are applying pressure — both on the front lines and within Russian territory. For example, today Ukrainian drones partially paralyzed Russia’s transportation network, leading to delays or cancellations of around 100 flights in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Our drone strikes also led to the cancellation of the Russian Navy parade — for the first time since the tradition was established in 2017.
Reports also indicate that Ukrainian UAVs struck a power substation near a railway line in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast, resulting in widespread train delays. Attacks on transport infrastructure carry not just military but psychological impact — sociologists highlight that Russians “far from the war” must begin to feel it up close.
At the same time, beyond these headline-grabbing moments, our forces continue their difficult and largely unseen daily work, summed up in the phrase: we are repelling the summer offensive. We’re not expecting quick results — we’re ready to fight for as long as necessary to preserve Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence.
Glory to Ukraine!