As we all remember, President Trump and Vladimir Putin already met once this year: the much-ballyhooed Alaska Summit in August 2025. It was chilly in more ways than one. The meeting produced no binding agreement, no grand peace plan, and no Nobel-worthy handshake moment. But what it did produce was symbolism, lots of it. It…
Oops, Wrong Border? A Look at Russia’s Violation of Polish Airspace
I’ve been mulling over the latest drama out of Eastern Europe. Between September 9th and 10th, Poland found itself playing host to dozens of uninvited Russian drones. The fallout? Airports went into panic mode, flights grounded, fighter jets scrambled, and Polish air defenses got a live-fire training exercise they didn’t exactly sign up for. NATO…
Wings, Not Boots: My Take on U.S. Air Support in Ukraine
President Trump made it clear this week that American boots won’t be marching into Ukraine, but he didn’t shut the door on helping from above. Instead, he left U.S. air support on the table as part of a possible peace deal with Russia. The idea is to build a framework for ending the war, maybe…
No Crimea, No NATO: What Conservative Realism Should Demand
President Trump is hosting Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House—alongside a scrum of European leaders—just three days after sitting down with Vladimir Putin in Alaska. And he’s framing the deal in blunt-Trump terms: Ukraine won’t be getting back Crimea, and NATO membership is off the table. Zelenskyy, he says, “can end the war almost…
Alaska, Peacemaking, and the Peril of “Quick Fix” Diplomacy
If you’re looking for tidy endings, geopolitics is the wrong genre. President Trump and Vladimir Putin sat down in Anchorage, and—surprise—no white-smoke peace deal drifted over the Chugach. Still, the two leaders talked for hours about Ukraine, pledged to keep talking, and signaled that President Zelenskyy will now be heavily engaged. Reports suggest he’s heading…
Missiles and Mandates: Ukraine’s Battle for Survival and the Soul of Its Democracy
As President Trump and Germany's defense leaders commit five Patriot missile systems to Ukraine, the world is reminded that war doesn’t just test a nation's strength—it reveals its soul. In Ukraine today, two battles rage side by side. One is against the bombs and bullets of a foreign invader. The other is quieter but just…
An Analysis of Trump’s Decision to Arm Ukraine
Today, President Trump green-lit a NATO-backed arms deal that will send Patriot missile systems and possibly long-range weapons to Ukraine. This new arrangement—quietly hammered out between Washington and NATO—has President Trump giving the go-ahead for European allies to send their own military systems to Ukraine, including air defenses and potentially long-range missiles. The U.S. will…
Peace Through Strength or Perpetual War? A Look at President Trump’s Ukraine Pivot
Last week, the Pentagon hit the brakes on some critical arms shipments to Ukraine, citing the need to replenish our own defense systems. That pause didn’t last long. President Trump saw the news, heard the reports of civilian casualties, and said, “Not on my watch.” He ordered those shipments back on track, vowing more defensive…
America First or Allies Last? Hegseth’s Halt of Ukraine Arms Aid
Pete Hegseth recently ordered an indefinite suspension of a broad set of weapons shipments to Ukraine. This isn’t just a bureaucratic hiccup, it’s a major pause on some of the most critical tools in Ukraine’s arsenal. Included in the freeze are PAC‑3 Patriot missile interceptors, NASAMS air defense systems, GMLRS (guided rockets), Stinger and Hellfire…
Trump Talks Tough on Russia and Iran — Is There Substance Behind the Swagger?
President Trump has always had a way with words—some bold, some baffling, some just plain brash. And his recent comments about Russia and Iran hit all three of those categories. But once you brush past the colorful language, there’s actually something worth examining here. Trump is walking a tightrope—part peace broker, part strongman—and the way…
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