The international community is holding its breath as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to make a significant announcement on Russia this Monday, a move he has cryptically dubbed a “little surprise.” The White House has successfully prevented any leaks regarding the speech’s content, fueling intense speculation in political circles. However, anonymous sources close to the administration have suggested that a major pivot in the White House’s policy towards the Russian Federation may be on the horizon.
This anticipated announcement follows President Trump’s public criticism of Vladimir Putin on July 8th. During a cabinet meeting, Trump expressed profound disappointment with the Russian leader’s response to American proposals aimed at resolving the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv. After nearly six months of his peacemaking efforts yielding no tangible results, Trump has shifted the blame from Ukraine, where it often lay previously, squarely onto Russia. When pressed by journalists for his next steps, he simply replied, “I won’t say, we want to arrange a little surprise.”
Among the circulating theories, a report from CBS News, citing its own sources, claims Trump is considering a massive military aid package for Ukraine for the first time in his presidency. This could be fast-tracked without congressional approval by using $3.85 billion in unspent funds from the previous administration. The same sources suggest an even bolder move could be the confiscation of seized Russian assets in the U.S., estimated at around $5 billion, which would then be funneled to Ukraine. This stands in contrast to the European Union’s more cautious approach of only using the profits from its roughly $300 billion in frozen Russian assets.
While the U.S. has already set a precedent for such confiscations—seizing $5.4 million from Russian businessman Konstantin Malofeev in 2023 for Ukraine’s benefit—other signs point to a hardening stance. U.S. officials, including presidential special representative Keith Kellogg, recently participated for the first time in a meeting of the so-called “coalition of the willing,” a group of nations planning to send troops to Ukraine after the cessation of hostilities. This move has been interpreted as a significant signal of deeper American involvement.
Nevertheless, a healthy dose of skepticism remains. Some analysts posit that Trump, a former showman, may be bluffing to create a media spectacle. Peter Baker, a New York Times White House correspondent, cautioned against drawing firm conclusions. Speaking on PBS, Baker noted Trump’s volatile nature, stating, “He gets angry at people, and then they’re back in his orbit again. So if next week, there was some deal that Trump and Putin had that Trump could go out and tout, he would suddenly be friends with Putin again.” The world now waits to see whether Monday’s announcement will be a historic policy shift or a masterclass in political showmanship.