A retired Air Force general speculated that giving fifth-generation aircraft to Ukraine would enable it to quickly rout Russia’s invasion.
Nearly a year ago, US News and World Report chronicled “The Literally Dozens of Times Donald Trump Has Praised Vladimir Putin.” Moreover, during his first term, President Trump reportedly “fell in love” with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. When asked about his respect for Kim, Trump said, “I want to have a good relationship with North Korea. I want to have a good relationship with many countries.”
There is no doubt that Trump wants to bring Russia back into the fold and foster closer economic cooperation. For the president, it is all part of a deal yet to be made.
However, one deal seems to be off the table entirely. The United States won’t supply combat aircraft to Ukraine, which Lt. Gen. David Deptula, US Air Force (Ret.), suggested that Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill have been “deterred” by Russian rhetoric.
In a recent Substack Live podcast, hosted by military historian Phillips P. O’Brien, Deptula suggested that both Trump and former President Joe Biden had been “inhibited by Putin’s rhetoric and deterred from providing Ukraine.”
During the Biden administration, concerns of escalation may have impaired Kyiv’s ability to strike back against Russia in the early stages of the war.
“One of the biggest mistakes that the allies fell into, primarily the United States, under both Presidents Biden and Trump, is they have been inhibited by Putin’s rhetoric and deterred from providing Ukraine very early on,” Deptula said.
The retired general went on to suggest that the right aid early in the conflict four years ago would have impacted Russia’s ability to maneuver. By doing so, Deputula suggested that “we could have done in the first year of the war and put this thing to an end already.”
Trump has maintained that the war would have never started had he been in office. However, he also shows little indication that he is willing to help provide the aid to end the conflict. Instead, Trump and Vice President JD Vance have called for Kyiv to give territory, including land not even occupied by Russia.
Ukrainian Fifth-Gen Fighters Could End the War Quickly
Although Biden was hesitant to provide F-16 Fighting Falcons to Ukraine in order to even the odds against Russia, Deptula suggested that more capable aircraft would have turned the tables entirely.
“Imagine what the Ukrainian Air Force could do if they had a wing of F-35s,” Deptula said. “You give me a wing of F-35s, a wing of F-22s, and this thing would be over in a month.”
Deptula noted that Ukrainian pilots flying the F-16 had already scored numerous aerial victories, including downing incoming missile and drone threats.
However, the issue would be how Russia might respond. Over the weekend, the world witnessed how F-35s could quickly take out Iran’s most capable air defenses—but would they have the same results against Russia? And even if they did, would the Kremlin accept defeat, or would Putin escalate the war accordingly, possibly employing nuclear weapons against Kyiv?
Deptula acknowledged that fears of escalation led to Biden’s decisions to limit Ukraine’s capabilities and even to how Western-made military hardware could be employed. In other words, advanced weapons like the F-16 were provided to Kyiv, yet Ukraine was still forced to fight a war with one arm tied behind its back.
In the case of Trump, it may be more than just fears of escalation. The 47th president wants to conclude a peace deal, even if it is unacceptable to both sides. That may be why he has largely walked away from Ukraine, where both of the combatants are sufficiently convinced that they can achieve their aims on the battlefield that neither is willing to agree to a humiliating peace deal.
Bombing Iran and forcing Tehran to the bargaining table seems to be the new plan. In the weeks to come, the American people will see how that works out.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed more than 3,200 published pieces over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
