Few politicians can create cinematic drama and anticipation like U.S. President Donald Trump. And ahead of Monday’s White House meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump made good use of that talent. “You’ll be seeing things happening,” he cryptically told reporters on Friday. A “major statement” was on the way, he later teased.
The denouement unfolded Monday in the Oval Office, with announcements that were both genuinely significant and positive, and somewhat underwhelming.
The bottom line, though, was a genuine shift in Trump’s position toward Ukraine. At last, it appears, he has decided to help an embattled Kyiv defend itself against Russia’s imperial efforts to conquer it. At least for now.