After Trump cut U.S. military aid to Ukraine by 99% — a move VP Vance called “one of the proudest” achievements of the administration — Ukraine has abandoned hope of American support and aggressively pivoted to new partners.
Ukraine signed 10-year security agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, deployed roughly 200 drone warfare specialists to Gulf states for counter-drone defense against Iranian drones, and forged arms-production agreements with Germany. Zelensky visited Riyadh to formalize the Saudi deal.
Most dramatically, Ukraine launched drone strikes on Russian oil-export facilities near St. Petersburg — halting roughly 40% of Russia's oil export capacity according to Reuters. This was done in defiance of signals from partners to avoid striking Russian energy infrastructure.
The Atlantic's Phillips Payson O'Brien (professor of strategic studies, University of St Andrews) argues Ukraine has “finally given up on Trump” and is building a post-American security architecture. The consequence of Trump abandoning Ukraine: Ukraine is now sharing its battlefield-tested drone technology — the most advanced in the world — with Gulf states, while Russia's energy sector burns.
The irony: Trump claims to be an “energy dominance” president. His ally Putin's oil infrastructure is being destroyed by weapons from the country Trump abandoned.