Trump on the UN: Russia-Ukraine battle, NATO, and extra

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Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump took a chaotic, and at instances, incoherent flip by the eightieth assembly of the United Nations Common Meeting on Tuesday, upending US coverage on the Russia-Ukraine battle within the course of.

What simply occurred? Trump began his day with a weird speech to the assembled world leaders, at factors attacking different international locations, efforts to deal with local weather change, and the United Nations itself. The handle was noticeably mild on coverage and heavy on false claims.

Following a gathering with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, nevertheless, Trump made no less than two probably vital pronouncements: NATO international locations ought to shoot down Russian jets that violate their airspace, and Ukraine ought to push to reclaim all of its authentic territory from Russia.

What’s the context? Trump has been inconsistent about US coverage on the battle. Final month, he hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin for a summit in Anchorage, Alaska, that was extensively perceived as a win for the Russian president; immediately’s assertion marks an about-face on Trump’s said imaginative and prescient for an finish to the battle.

Why does this matter? Trump has intermittently appeared disillusioned about his relationship with Putin, together with in remarks immediately with French President Emmanuel Macron. Coupled along with his reply on how NATO international locations ought to reply to airspace violations and his new place on the battle, this could be probably the most aggressive stance of his presidency towards Russia — if he sticks with it.

What’s the large image? Trump modifications his thoughts on even the largest coverage questions, and he’s typically topic to the opinions of the folks he final spoke with (on this case, Zelenskyy and European leaders supporting him, like Macron). That makes protecting what he says in main moments like these tough, however his pronouncements can have critical real-world implications. Whether or not they represent a significant coverage shift stays to be seen.

And with that, it’s time to sign off…

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