OPINION — I not too long ago had the chance to participate in a panel dialogue on geopolitical points on the Kyiv Safety Discussion board in Kyiv. One of many key points coated by the panel was the standing of Russia’s continued aggression towards Ukraine and continued Western assist for Ukraine. This can be a matter I’ve addressed publicly many instances since retiring from the CIA throughout private and non-private talking engagements, podcasts, and varied information reveals. What I acknowledged in Kyiv was no totally different than what I’ve argued prior to now – the “West”, led by the U.S., ought to proceed to supply Ukraine with the navy, financial, diplomatic, political and morale assist wanted to proceed dealing with down Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and his unjustified battle towards Ukraine. Ukraine is combating for its existence, and we have to stand with the Ukrainians as they defend their proper to exist. We must always by no means permit Putin, or another international chief, to dictate who has the appropriate to “be”. Fortunately, not one of the different panelists disagreed with this standpoint. We have to assist the Ukrainians defend themselves towards international aggression and tyranny.
However what was stunning was to listen to one among my fellow panelists criticize President Donald Trump and his administration for initiating navy operations towards the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) (Operation “Epic Fury”) in late February 2026. My fellow panelist argued that it was a mistake for the U.S. to begin “Epic Fury” as a result of the operation was drawing off sources that ought to be directed to supporting Ukraine and resulted within the closure of the “Strait of Hormuz”, the rise in power costs and a call by the White Home to quickly finish sanctions towards “Shadow Fleet” tankers that have been already at sea carrying Russian oil.
From my optic, among the statements made towards “Epic Fury” have a foundation of truth. For instance, it’s clear that within the run as much as “Epic Fury” the U.S. Navy directed its restricted group of air protection sources to the Center East to guard U.S. and allied pursuits given the rising dangers of a navy confrontation with Iran. The closing of the Strait of Hormuz” has led to an increase in power costs at a time when the Russian financial system was struggling beneath the strain of U.S. and European Union (EU) sanctions and the more and more efficient use of “deep strikes” by the Ukrainians towards Russia’s power infrastructure. However the battle within the Gulf has not resulted in a big improve in income for the Russian State price range and, as one Ukrainian Air Protection officer not too long ago instructed me, U.S. and Israeli operations concentrating on Iran’s protection manufacturing capability and armed forces have restricted Tehran’s means to supply Russia with weapon methods and tools that Moscow had been utilizing earlier than February 2026 to maintain air assaults towards Ukraine. Sadly, whereas some argue that the Iran battle has additionally distracted the White Home from pursuing peace negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, negotiations have continued however have made little progress, not due to the Iran subject, however as a result of the Russians proceed to take a maximalist stance vis a vis talks and Putin has proven little actual curiosity in ending his battle towards Ukraine.
However greater than something, I’m all the time shocked once I hear Individuals and Europeans argue that the operation towards Tehran is a mistake, whereas in the identical breath, they demand continued assist for Ukraine. For me, as acknowledged above, the U.S. has a duty to assist Ukraine defend its existence from the fear it faces from Moscow. On the identical time, Washington and Brussels even have a duty to assist Israel defend itself towards Putin’s allies in Tehran, who’ve been threatening to destroy the State of Israel since seizing energy in Iran in 1979? Serving to Ukraine is the appropriate factor to do. So helps Israel defend itself towards the specter of annihilation.
These arguing towards navy operations in Iran view the navy battle with the Islamic Republic as being separate and remoted from our battle with Russia, however that isn’t the case. The regimes in Moscow and Tehran fashioned a strategic alliance towards the U.S. and its allies years in the past and have each been working to undermine Western pursuits for years. Iran has been supplying Russia’s battle machine with Unmanned Aerial Autos (UAVs), ballistic missiles, munitions and spare components because the begin of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In flip, Russia has been offering the Iranians and their proxies with weapons methods, superior expertise, diplomatic and political assist for years. Importantly, the Russians have additionally been offering Tehran with direct intelligence assist, together with concentrating on knowledge on U.S. forces within the Center East. Ukraine’s combat for its survival and the U.S. – Israel operations towards the IRI will not be two separate “wars”, however are two fronts in a single widespread battle. The demise of Putin’s allies in Tehran might be a victory for Ukraine. Ukraine’s defeat of Russia might be a victory for the U.S. and collective West, together with Israel.
I can not agree with those that assault President Trump for lastly responding to Iranian threats towards the U.S. and its allies with pressure. That motion was lengthy overdue and, whereas the President gave the Iranian’s a 12 months to attempt to negotiate a decision to the intense variations we had with the Islamic Republic, when these efforts failed, President Trump ought to be given credit score for exhibiting the kind of resolve on Iran that his predecessors failed to indicate for much too lengthy. It’s possible that the U.S. President understood that in making the choice to begin “Epic Fury”, he acknowledged that this choice could be attacked by his opponents and unpopular with a lot of his supporters, particularly the “isolationist camp” within the Republican Social gathering. Making the choice prematurely of mid-term elections could be troublesome for any President and President Trump deserves credit score for taking a principled stand in assist of U.S. and allied pursuits.
Sadly, whereas the President is “proper” on Iran, since returning to the Oval Workplace he has been unsuitable on Russia. Just like the Iranians, he gave Putin over a 12 months to barter an finish to the battle in Ukraine and opposite to the Kremlin’s ongoing efforts in charge Kyiv for the failure of these negotiations, it’s Moscow that has refused to make any concessions wanted to finish the combating. As an alternative, he has persistently tried to govern the President and his internal circle and lied to the White Home about who began the battle and who’s standing in the way in which of peace.
In October 2025, President Trump appeared to have reached his restrict with Putin’s recreation taking part in when he canceled a deliberate summit with Putin in Budapest and slapped new sanctions on Russia’s main power corporations. In a transparent signal of desperation, Putin panicked and instantly despatched his “American Whisperer” Kirill Dmitriyev to the U.S. to attempt to persuade Trump’s internal circle that Putin was prepared to barter. The Kremlin then executed an efficient covert affect operation by ensuring some elements of Dmitriyev’s discussions with U.S. officers have been leaked to the media, undermining U.S. credibility, driving a wedge between Washington and its European companions and creating the misunderstanding that the U.S. and Russia have been in “cahoots” and able to promote out Ukraine with a view to safe doubtlessly profitable enterprise offers in Russia sooner or later.
President Trump has criticized his predecessors for permitting Putin to “outplay” them. To this point, he permits Putin to do the identical to him. However it’s not too late for Trump to reverse that pattern and display to the world that he is not going to be outsmarted by Putin. The President ought to signal the bipartisan sanctions bundle ready by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham which might ship a robust message to the Kremlin that the U.S. is not keen to tolerate Putin’s stalling on negotiations and place monumental further strain on Putin to comply with make crucial concessions wanted to finish the battle.
President Trump can ship a robust message to Kyiv and different U.S. allies that the U.S. Administration is not going to be deceived or manipulated by the Kremlin and it is able to present the identical resolve in direction of Moscow that it’s exhibiting on Iran. It’s going to additionally ship a message to America’s enemies that the U.S. will take a constant stand towards these nations that threaten the U.S. and its allies. This message not solely must be heard in Moscow, however also needs to be heard in Pyongyang, Beijing and another capital the place a dictator or autocratic regime is contemplating attacking one among America’s allies.
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