Balloons drop at the end of the the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
With their families behind them, Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump and Vice Presidential nominee Mike Pence are cheered on by delegates at the close of the final day of the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Delegates celebrate at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Donald Trump and his wife Melania at the close of the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Donald Trump speaks at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Donald Trump address on the final night of the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump takes the stage after being introduced by his daughter Ivanka Trump during the final day of the 2016 Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Ivanka Trump speaks during the final night of the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Tom Barrack, former Deputy Interior Undersecretary in the Reagan administration, and CEO of Colony Capital, delivers a speech on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
California delegates cheer during the final day of the 2016 Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
On the final night of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, members of the Texas delegation enjoy the music.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Former NFL star Fran Tarkington speaks during the final day of the 2016 Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
On the final night of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, the view from up high as the singing of the national anthem is completed.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Six-year-old Heavenly Joy sings America the Beautiful in the Quicken Loans Arena on the final day of the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Indiana delegate William Springer sports a GOP elephant hat on the convention floor during the final day of the 2016 Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump appears on stage with his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Mike Pence and family at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence speaks at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Vice presidential hopeful Mike Pence delivers a speech on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich addresses delagates during third day of the 2016 Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Eric Trump talks about his father, Donald, at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland on Wednesday night.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
A woman yells at Sen. Ted Cruz, asking him to endorse Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on stage.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Darrell Scott, senior pastor of New Spirit Revival Center Ministries, speaks to the convention crowd.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Kentucky state Sen. Ralph Alvarado Jr. during his address.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Eileen Collins, retired astronaut, greets the crowd at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Alabama and Oklahoma delegates enjoy the music during the opening of the third day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
A news anchor reports from the floor of the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Florida Gov. Rick Scott speaks on the third day of the 2016 Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Laura Ingraham, radio host, takes the stage at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Delegates watch a video titled, “The Donald I Know,” during the third day of the 2016 Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
West Virginia delegates during the Pledge of Allegiance during the third day of the 2016 Republican National Convention at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, flies into Cleveland for a rally at the Great Lakes Science Center.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Donald Trump and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, arrive at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Donald Trump Jr. on stage in Cleveland.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Delegates shout “Guilty” in response to Governor Chris Christi’s indictment of Hillary Clinton.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie delivers his remarks.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
A protester is surrounded and silenced by Trump supporters inside the convention.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Kim Davis and the California delegation celebrate Donald Trump’s nomination.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Donald Trump Jr.’s image appears on screens above Quicken Loans Arena as he addresses the convention.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Ben Carson speaks at the Republican National Convention.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Tiffany Trump speaks.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan acknowledges his home state of Wisconsin on stage in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield addresses fellow Republicans in the convention hall.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
California delegate Kim Davis cheers.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Donald Trump Jr., left, celebrates with Eric Trump and other family members during the roll call that made their father the Republican presidential nominee.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Delegates from Washington state.
(Win McNamee / Getty Images)
A delegate celebrates.
(Jim Watson / AFP/Getty Images)
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan recognizes the delegation from his home state of Wisconsin.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Harmeet Dhillon, a California Sikh and a Republican national committee member, delivers the opening invocation on day two of the GOP convention.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
On the first night of the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump introduced his wife, Melania Trump, before she addressed the delegates.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump with his wife, Melania Trump, at the 2016 Republican National Convention.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
On the first night of the Republican National Convention, Melania Trump enters the stage before speaking.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
On the first night of the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump introduced his wife, Melania Trump, before she addressed the delegates.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
On the first night of the Republican National Convention, Melania Trump asks for the delegates to pay tribule to former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani speaks at the 2016 Republican National Convention.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Duck Dynasty’s Willie Robertson speaks at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
On the first night of the Republican National Convention, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry addresses delegates.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie enters the arena.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Delegates from Texas wave their hats in response to veterans.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Delegates stand during the Pledge of Allegiance.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Newt Gingrich during the Pledge of Allegiance.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Former Sen. Bob Dole attends the convention.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
On the floor of the arena.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.) listens to a voice vote on the adoption of the rules.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
California delegate Luis Buhler, center, joins delegates in singing the national anthem during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
A Florida delegate holds a sign on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
(Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images)
California delegate Shari Clark of Stanton sports Converse high tops with a Trump theme on the floor Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette speaks during the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
(John Moore / Getty Images)
Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus directs delegates to conferences during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Barbara Finger from Oconto, Wis., wears a cheesehead hat during first day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(John Locher / AP)
Delegates bow their heads in prayer as the Republican National Convention gets underway in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
An agent guards the stairs up to the stage during the first day of the 2016 Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
(DAVID MAXWELL / EPA)
Henry Allen, a Florida delegate to Republican National Convention walks around the convention floor with a sign at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)Reporting from Washington — For decades, Republican doctrine has viewed Russia as a power to mistrust. But in Donald Trump’s GOP, Moscow’s sins seem to matter less.
The platform written at the GOP convention in Cleveland this week eliminated references to arming Ukraine in its fight with Russia, which seized the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and has supported separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Many in the party’s foreign policy establishment are outraged.
They note that Trump’s campaign manager, Paul Manafort, had worked as a consultant for the now-ousted pro-Russian government in Ukraine.
Trump’s investments in hotels, golf courses and other business interests overseas already have raised concerns of potential conflicts of interest with U.S. policy if he is elected.
Originally, the GOP platform was to call for providing Ukraine with weapons in addition to the substantial non-lethal aid the U.S. already provides, according to congressional reports.
After Trump surrogates reportedly intervened, the final passage supports “providing appropriate assistance” to Ukraine, but doesn’t mention providing arms to the government in Kiev.
Charlie Black, a longtime Republican strategist, said the change was “most unusual.”
“Virtually every Republican in Congress voted to provide defensive arms to Ukraine and they still support it,” said Black, now chairman of Prime Policy Group, a government relations firm. “This puts the platform on the side of the Obama administration and its weak response to Russian aggression in Ukraine.”
Although Obama’s advisors have debated whether to provide weapons to help Kiev battle the Russian-backed forces, the president has declined to do so.
The war has largely stalemated over the past year. Moreover, Ukraine is not a member of NATO and the U.S. has no treaty obligations to help defend it.
White House aides fear that sending U.S. arms into the war would further inflame tensions with Moscow.
That may be Trump’s worry as well.
He has lavished praise on Russian President Vladimir Putin, seen as an autocratic bully in much of the world, and welcomed Putin’s quasi-endorsement of his candidacy. Trump apparently admires Putin’s strongman image and willingness to crush opponents, dissidents and critical journalists.
Manafort also had a direct interest in Ukraine.
As a crisis public relations manager, Manafort had clients that included the Russian-backed president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovich, who was driven from power in 2014 amid corruption scandals and violent demonstrations. He fled to Russia.
Manafort worked on Yanukovich’s election campaign in 2009. Yanukovich’s opponent, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, had hired Jeff Link, a Democratic strategist from Iowa.
Link says the Yanukovich campaign was virulently anti-West, anti-NATO and pro-Russia.
“What I kept thinking about was how Manafort and his team were supposed to be the Reagan guys, Reagan who stood up to the Soviet Union,” Link said in a telephone interview. “And now here they were working for Putin’s candidate for Ukraine.”
Manafort was asked about the GOP platform language on Ukraine during a news conference in Cleveland, but he deflected the question, saying only that the worlds needs a “strong U.S. presence.”
As with Ukraine, Trump’s foreign policy positions are more isolationist that Republicans traditionally embrace.
He doubled-down on that approach Wednesday when he told the New York Times he would not necessarily defend fellow NATO members in the Baltic region if they are threatened Russia.
Trump also said he would not call on authoritarian leaders, like the president of Turkey, to respect the rule of law and human rights as they crack down on opponents.
Those represent sharp departures from U.S. policy and recent GOP positions and sparked immediate concerns that Trump would abandon treaty commitments to allies.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who is not attending the convention in his home state, was among the Republicans who slammed Trump’s comments.
“We think NATO doesn’t matter? Are we kidding?” Kasich said to the International Republican Institute. He vowed to support arming Ukraine “as long as I’m breathing” and said changing the platform was “a terrible mistake.”
Paul Saunders, executive director of the Washington-based Center for the National Interest, said a wing of the GOP has always sought to avoid international conflicts absent a direct U.S. interest.
He noted that Reagan and President Nixon, two Republicans who were toughest on Moscow during the Cold War, ultimately negotiated with the Soviet Union.
But Trump’s proposals suggested a clear break to their strategy.
“This is certainly a very significant change,” Saunders said, “and clearly reflects a very different approach to foreign policy.”
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Former staff writer Tracy Wilkinson covered foreign affairs from the Los Angeles Times’ Washington, D.C., bureau.
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