During the first invasions of Ukraine in 2014, when the “red lines” set by President Obama were transgressed by Russia with impunity, Mr Putin had an even safer bet that he could push further against a weakened and demoralised Ukraine.
Between the president, vice-president JD Vance and the defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, significant concessions have been gifted to Mr Putin before the two leaders have even met – and, apparently, without any prior consultation with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.
In a chilling address at the Munich Security Conference, Mr Hegseth stated: “We’re also here today to directly and unambiguously express that stark strategic realities prevent the United States of America from being primarily focused on the security of Europe.” That cannot inspire confidence among European allies – it clearly signals a running down of the American presence in Europe.
It is fair to say, as Mr Hegseth asserts, that recovering Crimea and the most eastern parts of Ukraine is no longer a practical possibility, if only because Mr Trump regards it as too expensive.
In stark contrast to his warm words about President Putin, Mr Trump has said nothing about President Zelensky except to point to his supposed unpopularity.
