Biden Rushes Aid to Ukraine as Trump Victory Raises Concerns

Photo : AP

Donald Trump’s election victory has raised immediate concerns over the future of U.S. support for Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. With just over two months until Trump takes office, President Joe Biden’s administration is scrambling to ensure that the remaining U.S. funds for Ukraine’s defense are dispersed before Trump’s expected shift in policy. In addition to fast-tracking the last $9 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, the Biden team is working to strengthen the role of European allies in the effort, aiming to shift more responsibility to them ahead of the new administration.

Trump, who secured a decisive win in Tuesday’s election, has long been critical of U.S. involvement in the conflict, expressing admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has also ridiculed the $175 billion in aid that the U.S. has committed to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022. Trump has consistently claimed he could end the war in a matter of hours, although he has not provided specifics on how this would be achieved.

Trump’s aides have also discussed the possibility of conditioning future U.S. aid to Ukraine on the country making significant concessions. Vice President-elect J.D. Vance has gone as far as to say that he doesn’t care about Ukraine’s fate, labeling it as strategically insignificant when compared to U.S. interests in its rivalry with China. This stance has fueled fears in Kyiv that the U.S. may scale back or even halt its support for Ukraine after Trump’s inauguration.

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As the Biden administration races against the clock to move out the remaining funds, NATO has already taken steps to prepare for a potential shift in U.S. policy. The alliance, which has faced criticism from Trump in the past, has agreed to take over the coordination of aid to Ukraine, hoping to safeguard continued assistance even if the U.S. takes a step back.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been quick to reach out to Trump, offering congratulations on his electoral victory and expressing hope for continued American leadership. Zelensky also emphasized the importance of "strong and unwavering U.S. leadership" in achieving a "just peace" for Ukraine. However, experts caution that Trump’s approach to the conflict could run into significant challenges, particularly if he seeks to directly mediate talks between Ukraine and Russia. Russia’s demands for territorial concessions could make negotiations exceedingly difficult, as Ukraine continues to defend regions that Russia claims to have annexed.

Experts are also skeptical that Europe can quickly fill the gap left by the U.S. in providing military aid. Brian Taylor, a Russia expert at Syracuse University, warned that while Europe may eventually be able to step up, it lacks the immediate institutional capacity to replace U.S. support for Ukraine’s defense. “I’m not sure Europe has the stomach or the institutional capacity to just step up and fill that role instantly, although maybe it will develop that capacity over time,” Taylor said.

At the same time, some analysts see an opportunity for Biden to bolster Ukraine’s defenses in the coming weeks. Olga Kharkova of the Atlantic Council suggested that Biden could lift longstanding restrictions on Western weapons, allowing for more offensive action against Russian forces. Kharkova also noted that strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses to protect its energy infrastructure would be a logical step. Such moves could also help set the stage for a stronger negotiating position should Trump seek to engage with Putin in the future.

Despite the uncertainty, some Republican voices, such as Representative Michael Waltz, a veteran army officer, have suggested that Trump could press Putin to the negotiating table by ramping up sanctions enforcement on Russian energy exports. Waltz also highlighted the potential for Trump to lift restrictions on U.S. military aid to Ukraine, potentially enhancing Ukraine’s ability to fight back. "I think that will get Putin to the table," Waltz said in a pre-election interview.

Still, the future of U.S. military support for Ukraine remains in doubt under Trump. Brian Finucane, a former State Department official, noted that Trump has been vague about his specific approach to the conflict. “Further substantial U.S. military aid seems doubtful,” Finucane said, but added that Trump’s handling of the situation could evolve once in office.

For now, the outlook for Ukraine under a Trump presidency remains clouded with uncertainty. While Trump has claimed that he could resolve the conflict quickly, his record of praise for Putin and skepticism toward Ukraine’s war effort has cast doubt on his ability to deliver a lasting solution. As the Biden administration pushes to secure as much support for Ukraine as possible before the transition, Kyiv is left wondering what role the U.S. will play in the future of its struggle against Russia.

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