On the afternoon of August 18th local time, the atmosphere at the White House was solemn and subtle.
The meeting between US President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has drawn global attention.
During this meeting, Trump made it clear that the US aid to Ukraine would shift from “free gifts” to “commercial sales”, and also directly stated that the previous 300 billion US dollars in aid provided by the Biden administration was a “corrupt act”.
This transformation, seemingly a simple adjustment of wording, actually contains profound strategic intentions and implications, like cutting off the fuel at the bottom of the pot, making Ukraine’s already difficult situation even worse.
However, while Zelensky is thanking the US for “giving him the opportunity to buy weapons”, he is also busy seeking sponsorship from Europe and NATO.
What’s the trick behind this?
The change of weapons from “giving away” to “selling” has touched whose cheese?
Trump’s move may seem simple, but in fact, it conceals three layers of calculations.
First, there is the economic account: US military industrial enterprises have always been eyeing Ukraine as a “war market”, selling weapons as commodities, which can not only recover funds but also stimulate domestic industries.
Secondly, there is the political card: He deliberately emphasized that the aid provided by the Biden administration is “corrupt”, which is clearly slanders the opponent.
The last one is the technique of shifting the blame: Trump has repeatedly stated that “European Allies must foot the bill”, aiming to alleviate the financial pressure on the United States while also testing the unity within NATO.
From a domestic political perspective, since Trump took office, he has been committed to fulfilling his campaign promises, among which reducing overseas military intervention and putting American interests first are the key points.
Trump’s move undoubtedly demonstrates to domestic voters the practical implementation of his “America First” principle and attempts to win more political support.
From an international strategic perspective, the Trump administration may believe that by changing the way it provides aid to Ukraine, it can enhance its control over the course of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Using the sale of weapons as a bargaining chip can force Ukraine to make concessions at the negotiating table that are in the interests of the United States.