It seems cold but it makes sense and I can’t really blame USA for doing that.
Another aspect to consider is that by gradually increasing support, it blurs the moments when so-called ‘red lines’ are being crossed. If we had provided Ukraine with Western cruise missiles, tanks, and jets from the start of the conflict, and allowed them to strike into Russia proper, there would have been a legitimate risk of major escalation. Instead, by slowly ramping up support, it’s much harder for Russia to pinpoint a specific moment when a line was crossed.