Trump drags feet on drone deal with Ukraine, mystifying experts

[240B]

Trump drags feet on drone deal with Ukraine, mystifying experts

The Hill
by Ellen Mitchell
06/07/26

The Trump administration’s hesitancy in signing a major drone deal with Ukraine is slowing the U.S. military down in an area where it’s already trying to play catch-up.

Even as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Washington to make a deal, with talks between the two nations stretching back to at least September, the U.S. has so far refused to embrace Kyiv as a partner in its drone development.

Zelensky posted a lengthy message to social platform X last Sunday calling for a “bilateral drone deal — a big framework document” between the U.S. and Ukraine, which has made astounding strides in drone warfare since Russia attacked the country in 2022.

But even with senior Pentagon officials including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll lauding Kyiv’s drone abilities, the Trump administration is still biding its time on taking full advantage of the Ukrainian capabilities, a delay that experts say is potentially kneecapping the U.S. military.

“I don’t know what the hangup would be in denying ourselves the ability to take advantage of that. I don’t think there’s any good reason,” Rebeccah Heinrichs, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute think tank, said of Ukraine’s drone capabilities.

“I don’t know if there is a hangup, I don’t know if there’s a different view between people about what the process needs to be, or what needs to come first, but clearly there is a great advantage on the U.S. side to partnering with Ukraine on drones,” she told The Hill.

(more)
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5911039-trump-drone-deal-ukraine/

[BobfromWB]

Trump drags feet on drone deal with Ukraine, mystifying experts

The Hill
by Ellen Mitchell
06/07/26

The Trump administration’s hesitancy in signing a major drone deal with Ukraine is slowing the U.S. military down in an area where it’s already trying to play catch-up.

Even as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Washington to make a deal, with talks between the two nations stretching back to at least September, the U.S. has so far refused to embrace Kyiv as a partner in its drone development.

Zelensky posted a lengthy message to social platform X last Sunday calling for a “bilateral drone deal — a big framework document” between the U.S. and Ukraine, which has made astounding strides in drone warfare since Russia attacked the country in 2022.

But even with senior Pentagon officials including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll lauding Kyiv’s drone abilities, the Trump administration is still biding its time on taking full advantage of the Ukrainian capabilities, a delay that experts say is potentially kneecapping the U.S. military.

“I don’t know what the hangup would be in denying ourselves the ability to take advantage of that. I don’t think there’s any good reason,” Rebeccah Heinrichs, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute think tank, said of Ukraine’s drone capabilities.

“I don’t know if there is a hangup, I don’t know if there’s a different view between people about what the process needs to be, or what needs to come first, but clearly there is a great advantage on the U.S. side to partnering with Ukraine on drones,” she told The Hill.

(more)
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5911039-trump-drone-deal-ukraine/

1. 47 hates Zelenski who insulted him by wearing funny clothes instead of the mandatory business suit.

2. Son Eric has a drone company and military contracts which would be hampered by combat proven and cheaper drones from the place where people wear funny clothes and insult others with their lack of fashion sense.

 QED

[Right_in_Virginia]

1. 47 hates Zelenski who insulted him by wearing funny clothes instead of the mandatory business suit.

2. Son Eric has a drone company and military contracts which would be hampered by combat proven and cheaper drones from the place where people wear funny clothes and insult others with their lack of fashion sense.

 QED

Could Trump simply want a better deal from a nation the US has spent almost $200 billion on in supplemental payments since 2022?

AI Overview

Congress has appropriated approximately $175 billion in supplemental funding for the Ukraine response, with broader U.S. government oversight trackers placing the total allocated figure at roughly $187 billion.The breakdown of how these funds are distributed includes:

° Military Assistance: Accounts for the majority of the direct aid, covering weapons, munitions, intelligence support, and training

° Economic & Budget Support: Helps keep the Ukrainian government functioning by paying the salaries of civil servants, healthcare workers, and educators.

° Humanitarian Aid: Includes food assistance, medical supplies, and shelter for displaced Ukrainians.

° U.S. Operations & Replenishment: A significant portion of this money is spent domestically to replenish the U.S. military's own defense stocks and to fund U.S. arms manufacturing facilities.

For detailed historical data, financial obligations, and interactive spending trackers, you can review the official Ukraine Oversight platform or check the Council on Foreign Relations analysis for regular updates.

[Cyber Liberty]

1. 47 hates Zelenski who insulted him by wearing funny clothes instead of the mandatory business suit.

2. Son Eric has a drone company and military contracts which would be hampered by combat proven and cheaper drones from the place where people wear funny clothes and insult others with their lack of fashion sense.

 QED

I think Zelinskyy and the entire Ukrainian government is corrupt from top to bottom.  No accusations of bribery by my sons required. 

[BobfromWB]

I think Zelinskyy and the entire Ukrainian government is corrupt from top to bottom.  No accusations of bribery by my sons required.

Ukraine is no where near as corrupt as Russia - further, Ukraine is trying to root out the corruption. Moreover, there is a an adage about bricks and glass houses - See US corruption, aka fraud.

Your sons are Eric and Jr??

[Cyber Liberty]

Ukraine is no where near as corrupt as Russia - further, Ukraine is trying to root out the corruption. Moreover, there is a an adage about bricks and glass houses - See US corruption, aka fraud.

That's a matter of opinion, and I don't share yours.  Ukraine's dalliance with Joe Biden is still fresh on my memory.

[libertybele]

I think Zelinskyy and the entire Ukrainian government is corrupt from top to bottom.  No accusations of bribery by my sons required.

Agreed! 

[libertybele]

Could Trump simply want a better deal from a nation the US has spent almost $200 billion on in supplemental payments since 2022?

I knew the price tag was high, but not that high!! That's a significant amount of $$.

[Kamaji]

I think Zelinskyy and the entire Ukrainian government is corrupt from top to bottom.  No accusations of bribery by my sons required. 

Prove it. 

[Cyber Liberty]

Prove it.

Joe Biden intervened to get a Prosecutor who was investigating Hunter Biden sacked, and Joe openly admitted it in an interview that was widely covered, I'm positive you saw it too.  Just one example of many, but that one stood out.  "Son of a bitch!  He was fired within the hour!" 

I'm not going to waste hours on Google to bring you more examples....

[BobfromWB]

That's a matter of opinion, and I don't share yours.  Ukraine's dalliance with Joe Biden is still fresh on my memory.

Its not a matter of opinion, its a matter of fact

On the corruption scale, Ukraine ranks 104th [ down by 1 point ] ... Russia comes in at 157th [ up by 3 points ]. China is 76th.

United Kingdom is 20th ... United States is at 29 [ down by 1 point ].

https://tradingeconomics.com/country-list/corruption-rank

[Kamaji]

Joe Biden intervened to get a Prosecutor who was investigating Hunter Biden sacked, and Joe openly admitted it in an interview that was widely covered, I'm positive you saw it too.  Just one example of many, but that one stood out.  "Son of a bitch!  He was fired within the hour!" 

I'm not going to waste hours on Google to bring you more examples....

Not proof of the claim you made.  One would have thought that there was no need to repeat the canard that anecdote is not evidence.

So, let's go back to it again:  prove your claim.

[Cyber Liberty]

Not proof of the claim you made.  One would have thought that there was no need to repeat the canard that anecdote is not evidence.

So, let's go back to it again:  prove your claim.

I provided what I could in the time I'm willing to spend on it, so feel free to rubbish it, I don't care. 

[Hoodat]

Joe Biden intervened to get a Prosecutor who was investigating Hunter Biden sacked, and Joe openly admitted it in an interview that was widely covered, I'm positive you saw it too.  Just one example of many, but that one stood out.  "Son of a bitch!  He was fired within the hour!" 

I'm not going to waste hours on Google to bring you more examples....

@Cyber Liberty

You realize that was when Petro Poroshenko was President of Ukraine.  That took place over three years before Volodymyr Zelenskiy was elected.

So let's compare the two.  When Poroshenko was in office, the US was able to pressure him into firing a public official.  Yet when Zelenskiy was in office, he took the high road and refused to bow to foreign pressure in the hiring and firing of public officials.  In other words, Trump is pissed off at Zelenskiy because he isn't corrupt.  He's mad because he wasn't able to influence him the same way Obama/Biden was able to influence his predecessor.  And it sounds like you are, too.

Bottom line, Zelenskiy stayed true to his people and to his country.  The reason he ran for office in the first place was to move away the corruption of the previous two Presidents.  So it galls me to no end when I hear people call him 'corrupt' because he chose not to be.

[Smokin Joe]

That's a matter of opinion, and I don't share yours.  Ukraine's dalliance with Joe Biden is still fresh on my memory.

IIRC, That was under Poroshenko, whom Zelenesky beat in the election.

[Cyber Liberty]

@Cyber Liberty

You realize that was when Petro Poroshenko was President of Ukraine.  That took place over three years before Volodymyr Zelenskiy was elected.

So let's compare the two.  When Poroshenko was in office, the US was able to pressure him into firing a public official.  Yet when Zelenskiy was in office, he took the high road and refused to bow to foreign pressure in the hiring and firing of public officials.  In other words, Trump is pissed off at Zelenskiy because he isn't corrupt.  He's mad because he wasn't able to influence him the same way Obama/Biden was able to influence his predecessor.  And it sounds like you are, too.

Bottom line, Zelenskiy stayed true to his people and to his country.  The reason he ran for office in the first place was to move away the corruption of the previous two Presidents.  So it galls me to no end when I hear people call him 'corrupt' because he chose not to be.

I will think about what you wrote!  Ukraine has been very helpful regarding Iran and their drones....

I think you understand that I can be a suspicious person, and I don't trust easily.