Former White House National Security Council staffer Matthew Bryza believes President Donald Trump has moved closer to Ukraine because he increasingly views Kyiv as the side gaining strategic momentum and Russia as the likely loser in its own war. In an interview with Kyiv Post, Bryza described Trump’s decision to authorize licensed production of Patriot interceptor missiles for Ukraine as a “profound” political and strategic shift.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “I think President Trump realizes that Ukraine is most likely to be the winner and Russia the loser,” the former US ambassador argued. “Trump likes winners and doesn’t like losers.” Trump announced at last week’s NATO summit in Ankara that Washington would allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptors. The decision represents a major long-term boost for Kyiv, although establishing production facilities, transferring technology and creating supply chains could take considerable time. The S-400 remains the price of an F-35 return Trump declared in Ankara that he intended to lift US sanctions imposed on Turkey over its purchase of Russia’s S-400 air-defense system. He also signaled that a decision on Turkey’s possible return to the F-35 fighter jet program would follow. Neither step, however, has been fully completed. Legal and congressional hurdles remain, while Washington continues to view the presence of the Russian system on Turkish territory as incompatible with the security requirements of the F-35 program.