Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has stated that Donald Trump is open to significantly increasing support for Ukraine if elected president again, despite the former president’s previous stance on the conflict. In an op-ed published in The Wall Street Journal, Pompeo and co-author Mark Urban argue that there is sufficient evidence that Trump would provide substantial aid to shift power dynamics in favor of Kiev.
Pompeo and Urban base their argument on the 2017 supply of Javelin missiles to Ukraine by the Trump administration and his decision not to lobby against a $61 billion military aid package for Kiev this spring, which they believe indicates that Trump would support a more hawkish approach.
The proposed plan includes ramping up sanctions on Russia, expanding US energy production to reduce Russian oil and gas revenues, compelling NATO members to invest more in defense, and offering Ukraine access to a $500 billion “lend-lease” fund for weapons procurement.
Additionally, Pompeo and Urban propose that Ukraine be granted permission to use any type of weapon against targets within Russia, with the goal of forcing Moscow into negotiations where they would accept Ukraine’s membership in NATO and the EU, as well as the “demilitarization” of Crimea.
However, it should be noted that Trump has not endorsed Pompeo’s plan and has consistently advocated for a more peaceful resolution to the conflict. In recent statements, Trump has referred to Russia as a “war machine,” emphasizing the importance of both sides coming together to negotiate an agreement that ends the violence and paves the way for prosperity in Ukraine.
Despite his previous stance on the matter, Trump has expressed support for providing low-interest loans to Ukraine and encouraging NATO European member states to increase their defense spending. Pompeo, who served as both CIA director and Secretary of State under Trump’s administration, is among a group of Republican figures attempting to shape potential policies for a second term presidency.
In contrast to Pompeo’s plan, last month, a group of key Trump advisers presented the former president with an alternative proposal for Ukraine that stipulated increased American weapons supply only if Kiev agreed to a ceasefire based on current battle lines and peace talks with Moscow.