Trump’s “big speech,” which he teased as a response to Russia and Putin, felt incomplete. Or like it had been rewritten last minute

Maybe, as I’m writing this, planes in Arizona or Pennsylvania really are being loaded with certain weapons, set to land at Rzeszów airport tomorrow. But it all feels a bit too unreal.

Same with the 17 Patriot systems. The U.S. only has around 60 batteries total. Are they really going to give Ukraine a quarter of their entire stock? Highly unlikely. I’d bet this is about long-term promises, more like over a decade…

Then there was the curious mention of 50 days, after which Putin is supposed to feel something at customs. Why 50? Until the end of Russia’s “summer” offensive? To give Moscow time to smash its army against the wall? (Remember how Putin said they’d gain significant territory by fall?)

On the upside, the U.S. is ready to sell weapons. Here, Trump’s business talent really came through. And now, making money off the war clearly seems more useful to him than to dance around Putin with an unknown (so far) result.

Everything Trump said today boiled down to this: “We won’t let Ukraine lose.” A direct answer to China, whose foreign minister essentially said last week: “We won’t let Russia lose.”

The global standoff between these two rival systems is heading in a predictable direction, both sides will move pawns across the board until they strike a deal. Or don’t.

Another round of the geopolitical rollercoaster begins. Buckle up.

About the author. Viktor Shlinchak, Chairman of the Board of the Institute of World Policy

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