Why Trump changed his stance on Ukraine: Budanov names unexpected factors

The change in U.S. President Donald Trump’s stance on aiding Ukraine was influenced, in particular, by diplomatic contacts between the Ukrainian side and his inner circle.

Chief of the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov said this in an interview with Kyiv Post.

He emphasized that a person’s position «changes under the influence of circumstances or new information.»

«A multitude of factors can influence this, ” Budanov noted.

The chief of the Defence Intelligence stated that the U.S. president’s decisions can and should be influenced «through diplomacy, through contacts in his inner circle.»

«And that’s exactly what influenced the evolution of his position on the issue of aiding Ukraine. Recently, a balance was found between the interests of Ukraine and the U.S., ” he explained.

According to Kyrylo Budanov, there are people in the Trump administration who believe that the U.S. is not doing enough to help Ukraine.

«In this regard, one can primarily mention U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the U.S. President’s Special Representative Keith Kellogg. Their position is absolutely clear — aid to Ukraine is part of U.S. national interests. Therefore, it must continue and increase both quantitatively and qualitatively, ” he clarified.

At the same time, the chief of the Defence Intelligence believes that Donald Trump’s position has never been openly anti-Ukrainian.

«He [Donald Trump] has never been an opponent of Ukraine. One must not forget that the first batches of American weapons were received precisely during his first term, ” he recalled.

Budanov believes that the U.S. President will act primarily in the interests of his country, but his position on the war in Ukraine should be «reasonably pro-Ukrainian.»