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European leaders left the NATO summit in Ankara cautiously optimistic that U.S. President Donald Trump has adopted a more favorable position toward Ukraine, influenced in part by the country’s recent success in long-range strikes against targets inside Russia, according to the Financial Times, UATV English reports.
According to the report, while Trump’s criticism of NATO allies was expected, European officials were surprised by his notably warmer tone toward Ukraine and his pledge to support licensing for the production of Patriot air defense systems.
Unnamed officials told the newspaper they hope the shift reflects a lasting change in Washington’s approach and could lead to stronger pressure on Russia.
“It’s actually quite simple… Trump likes winners. And Ukraine has recently started winning,” one NATO diplomat was quoted as saying.
Another official said Trump signaled during leaders’ discussions that he was prepared to increase support for Ukraine and was considering additional steps that could help Kyiv gain the upper hand in the war.
A separate European official described the U.S. president’s remarks during the summit as “serious and statesmanlike.”
During the public portion of his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 8, Trump said Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian oil refineries represented an escalation that could ultimately help bring the war to an end.
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