Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, an informal adviser to U.S. President Donald J. Trump, told the Kyiv Post on May 16 that he expects the administration’s stance against Russia will harden.
“I would be surprised if they don’t increase the lethality of the weapons that are made available to Ukraine,” Gingrich said. “I think we want to maximize the ability of Ukrainians to defend themselves, without necessarily forcing Russia into a major escalation.”
Emphasizing that he was not speaking for the Trump administration, Gingrich said that “looking at what’s going on, looking at the people in charge now. They’re very tough-minded. They’re aware you have this low-grade war going on and Ukrainians are at a disadvantage. It’s not in our interest for Ukrainians to be at a disadvantage. We should figure out what are the most useful force multipliers that would be helpful in raising the costs to the Russian so they decide they can’t continue their adventure in eastern Ukraine.”
Gingrich also raised the prospect that Trump will eventually favor tougher sanctions against the Kremlin. “I think they have really begun to reluctantly conclude that there may have to be additional sanctions. They’re trying to find a way to get (Russian President Vladimir_ Putin’s attention,” Gingrich said. “I don’t know if anything is effective with Putin. What would be effectively ultimately is if his support inside Russia craters.”
But Gingrich said that Ukraine cannot expect greater government financial aid because Trump doesn’t consider such aid to be effective. Instead, he said, the administration is likely to encourage greater private sector investment in Ukraine.
“They will try to think through to what degree we can find a way to maximize private sector investment,” Gingrich said. “Their bias will be to try to get companies to come in that are permanent rather than having our bureaucracy give the Ukrainian bureaucracy money.”
Gingrich came to Kyiv at the invitation of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation as part of its public lecture series, which last year attracted former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
While the Pinchuk Foundation did not disclose Pinchuk’s speaking fees, Politico reported on Dec. 2 that Gingrich is “cashing in” on Trump’s popularity. Citing Gingrich’s agency, Worldwide Speakers Group, his speaking fees are $75,000 plus expenses for U.S. appearances.
The Republican Gingrich, who turns 74 on June 17, served in the U.S. Congress from 1979 until 1999 and as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999.
