VIKTOR Orban is “right on the money” when he says Donald Trump will stop funding Ukraine’s war with Russia if he becomes US President in November, senior Republicans have said.
The Hungarian PM – said by observers to be positioning himself to become Trump’s “number one EU ally”- made the statement following a meeting with the former US President, who is now the Republican Party’s nominee to challenge US President Joe Biden in November.
He added that Trump would also attempt to end the war by proposing a peace plan.
“Its becoming harder for Ukrainians to make an argument for additional funding and ammunition when we are not seeing a great return,“ said one hardline Republican powerbroker last night.
The issue of aid for Ukraine has become one of the most divisive within the Republican Party. The US has so far spent £59bn in assistance to Ukraine, which includes humanitarian, financial, and military support, and Republicans are currently blocking a further package worth £48bn.
Reasons for opposing the aid vary from active support for Putin – whom some view as an international champion of conservative Christian values – to wanting to prioritise burning crises at home. Some merely believe Ukraine will lose militarily..
“We aren’t the America of the 1980s and 1990s – we have domestic fires that need putting out. Once that happens, you could then see a greater appetite for more investment in Ukraine,’ said the source.
One of the most pressing issues is the US’ porous southern border.
“Around 300 illegal aliens who are on the FBI’s terrorist watch list have been apprehended over the last three years after coming through the border,” added the source. “This is what matters to Americans now.”
Other Republicans say Trump might not cut off aid completely, but point out that he prefers to be seen as “peace maker”, such as with the Abraham Accords which normalised relations for the first time between Israel and Bahrain, UAE, Morocco and Sudan.
“Donald Trump says a lot of things at the beginning and then rolls back. Remember, he was the one who armed Ukraine in the first place, by giving it Javelin missiles, after Obama refused,“ said another Republican source.
“But he is generally anti-war. He doesn’t mind dropping bombs, but he prefers to be able to say that he brings peace to regions of tension and conflict.
“Also, there is some anxiety here that we are being asked to empty out our munitions reserves, putting our own ability to defend ourselves at risk when there other geopolitical rivals. “
Not all Republicans agree, however.
“It is ridiculous to suggest that the US cannot deal with domestic problems and foreign policy initiatives at the same time,” said John Conway, director of strategy for Republicans for Ukraine, which last week launched a £250K media blitz to convince fellow Republicans to pass the Senate’s Ukraine bill.
“Donald Trump has made it very clear that he does not support Ukraine, and his relationship with Vladimir Putin should frighten anyone who cares about democracy at home and abroad.
“It is a moral imperative that the US defends Ukraine against Vladimir Putin’s unjust war. Every day that goes by, more Ukrainian civilians are dying and Putin’s power grows.”
Spending five percent of the US defence budget on Ukraine is also in America’s best interest he said, adding: “We need to send weapons to Ukraine for them to use against America’s biggest adversary, Russia, and to avoid ever having to send a soldier there.”
He added: “Trump’s America First isolationism has changed the party, and eroded Republican confidence that the US can lead on global affairs.
“We want to ensure the Republican Party upholds its commitment to American leadership in the world. The world is watching.”
