In a wide-ranging interview, the former commanding general of U.S. Army Europe reflects on the Biden and Trump administrations’ approach to supporting Ukraine after February 2022, including concerns about inconsistent messaging from the White House, lack of publicly articulated strategic objectives, and the impact of policy delays on the ground.
He also discusses NATO’s evolving global posture, Germany’s internal debates over military aid to Ukraine, and what’s needed for Ukraine to sustain its defense efforts and, ultimately, to succeed in affirming its territorial integrity and sovereignty. Hodges underscores that air defense systems, long-range strike capabilities, and steadfast political will among allies in the West remain critical to the war effort.
The conversation also touches on broader geopolitical dynamics — Russia’s hybrid activities in the Baltic Sea; what U.S. foreign policy communicates to adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party (C.C.P.); and reflections on Europe’s role in shaping outcomes in Ukraine and beyond.