US President Donald Trump’s return to assertive policymaking has arrived with a dramatic mix of carrot and stick. His 50-day ultimatum to Russia to negotiate peace in Ukraine ~ or face 100 per cent secondary tariffs ~ is no empty posturing. Coupled with the promise of “top-of-the-line” US weapons delivered to Kyiv through NATO and paid for by European allies, this marks a distinct recalibration of American strategy. It is a hard pivot from the unpopular Biden-era model of direct US taxpayer funded weapon supplies to Ukraine, and one that signals a transactional yet muscular re-en – gagement with the war. At the heart of this approach is a simple equation: pressure Moscow economically while outsourcing the financial burden of arming Kyiv.

By making Europe foot the bill, Mr Trump achieves two objec – ti ves. He avoids domestic political controversy over US taxpayers financing a foreign war, and he repositions NATO as........

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