Ukraine war briefing: Frustrated Trump threatens Russia sanctions if there no progress on peace deal
Guardian3 days
Zelenskyy: Ukraine Can Strike Russia Without US Permission
Above: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine on Aug. 24. Image copyright: Ximena Borrazas/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
Biden should have let Ukraine attack Russia with American weapons, as it's always been impossible for them to have a fighting chance in the war without this capacity. The current administration may well review this decision in light of Russia's failure to make peace.
Pro-establishment narrative
Despite Trump's signaling of approval for using U.S. weapons in Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, the reality is that his administration has quietly blocked Ukraine from taking such action. His aim of pursuing a negotiated end to war (for the sake of pacifying the American right) risks emboldening Putin to conduct further expansionism and could put the whole of Europe at risk — he cannot allow himself to be manipulated into dividing Western allies.
Pro-Ukraine narrative
This talk of U.S. approval for Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory is irrelevant as Ukraine has been domestically producing a number of weapons for some time — Kyiv does not need permission to launch retaliatory strikes on Russia in order to defend its sovereignty against existential threat.
Metaculus Prediction
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© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.15.0