Ukraine Gives Trump A Rare Victory
- 12.07.2026, 10:04
A lifeline for one's reputation that's worth grabbing onto.
The NATO summit, which took place this week in Ankara, could be a turning point for both Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump. This view was expressed by Frederick Kempe, president and CEO of the Atlantic Council think tank.
According to him, the American leader arrived at the meeting at a time when European allies had already significantly increased their defense spending, turning the agreements reached a year earlier at the summit in The Hague into concrete military capabilities. Kempe also notes that Trump’s decision in July 2025 to continue supplying weapons to Ukraine using funding from European partners helped strengthen the Ukrainian army’s positions on the front lines.
During talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump spoke positively about Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory and announced his readiness to grant Kyiv a license to manufacture interceptor missiles for Patriot systems.
According to the head of the Atlantic Council, upon his return to Washington, it is important for the U.S. president to take advantage of the current situation to further strengthen support for Ukraine and the North Atlantic Alliance. Kemp believes that Russia is currently facing serious difficulties due to significant personnel losses and attacks on energy infrastructure facilities.
The analyst also emphasized that Ukraine is not only holding back the Russian offensive but is also gradually changing the situation on the battlefield thanks to the large-scale use of drones. In his assessment, Ukrainian strikes have already disrupted fuel supplies to Russian troops and enabled the targeting of military facilities up to two thousand kilometers from the border.
Against this backdrop, as noted by former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst, there has been an unexpected convergence of positions between Washington and Kyiv.
Frederick Kempe believes that European countries’ fulfillment of the defense commitments sought by Trump, as well as Ukraine’s successes, could become a significant political achievement for the U.S. president.
“Two historic victories in the interests of the U.S. are within reach. The Trump administration must do everything possible not to miss this opportunity,” the analyst said.