President Joe Biden has entered a lame duck period, prompting a Michigan political science expert to analyze his potential actions before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.

Outgoing presidents typically work on a smooth transition while the president-elect fills key positions.

As Biden nears the end of his term, he has approved long-range missiles for Ukraine to strike inside Russia, marking a significant shift in U.S. policy. Jordan Cash, a political theory professor at Michigan State University, looked at the possible reasons behind Biden’s actions.

“He’s trying to find some way to push Ukraine and Russia to a certain end point in the war, perhaps to get a final foreign policy victory to vindicate his administration at the end, or perhaps because he fears the way President-elect Trump is going to approach the Ukraine war,” Cash said.

Most political experts agree that with Congress divided, it’s unlikely much will be accomplished before the new session starts in January. However, they say it wouldn’t be surprising if Biden takes other bold or controversial actions as he prepares to leave office.