The Week: On Ukraine, Clarity Is Needed

• Of course all those European leaders came to the White House. How else can they enjoy air-conditioning?

• The early optimism coming out of the White House meeting with European leaders faded a bit later in the week, as Russian officials insisted they had not agreed to American or European security guarantees for Ukraine after the war, and still demanded that Ukraine must largely disarm in exchange for a promise to not invade again. Either the Russians are changing their tune from what they said behind closed doors at the Alaska summit, or President Trump heard what he wanted to hear. Thursday morning, after Russia bombed an American-owned company in Ukraine, Trump declared on Truth Social, “It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country. It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia. Crooked and grossly incompetent Joe Biden would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND. How did that work out?” This statement could represent Trump finally reversing excessively cautious Biden-era policies, taking the gloves off and allowing Ukraine to use U.S.-provided weapons to strike anywhere in Russia at any time. Or it could be the president lamenting that if Ukraine can’t “play offense,” what’s the use of continuing the fight? The world could use some clearer thinking, and clearer statements, from the American commander in chief.

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• Of course all those European leaders came to the White House. How else can they enjoy air-conditioning?

• The early optimism coming out of the White House meeting with European leaders faded a bit later in the week, as Russian officials insisted they had not agreed to American or European security guarantees for Ukraine after the war, and still demanded that Ukraine must largely disarm in exchange for a promise to not invade again. Either the Russians are changing their tune from what they said behind closed doors at the Alaska summit, or President Trump heard what he wanted to hear. Thursday morning, after Russia bombed an American-owned company in Ukraine, Trump declared on Truth Social, “It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country. It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia. Crooked and grossly incompetent Joe Biden would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND. How did that work out?” This statement could represent Trump finally reversing excessively cautious Biden-era policies, taking the gloves off and allowing Ukraine to use U.S.-provided weapons to strike anywhere in Russia at any time. Or it could be the president lamenting that if Ukraine can’t “play offense,” what’s the use of continuing the fight? The world could use some clearer thinking, and clearer statements, from the American commander in chief.