DONALD Trump doesn’t do U-Turns. He does rollercoaster loop-the-loops.
So with all his dizzying corkscrew turns and sudden policy swerves there is every risk he ends up back where he began – sucking up to tyrant Vladimir Putin and scorning President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Damage caused from a Russian drone strikeReuters
ReutersUkrainian forces in the Zaporizhzhia region amid ongoing Russian assaults[/caption]
ReutersDonald Trump now claims Russia is on the brink of collapse[/caption]
Before Ukraine shows any relief at Trump’s sudden, full-throated support they will want to see concrete action.
That means weapons without restrictions for Kyiv and penalties for Moscow. Sanctions must hurt the Kremlin and threaten Putin’s rule.
Otherwise it’s just hot air.
It wasn’t so long ago Trump hailed Putin a “genius”. He rolled out the red carpet in Alaska last month.
He said Zelensky had “no cards”.
Now he claims Russia is on the brink of collapse, Putin’s army is a “paper tiger” and he is backing a Ukraine win – to retake all its territory and, in his words, “maybe even go further”.
That would mean conquering parts of Russia – something Ukraine has never sought.
What is behind this change of heart? A state visit to Britain, perhaps.
In between the pomp and parades Trump will have heard the MI6 view that “Putin is stringing us along”.
Spy chief Sir Richard Moore – who sees all the most secret reports on Putin’s real intentions – gave a speech the day after Trump’s visit and said: “I have seen absolutely no evidence that President Putin has any interest in a negotiated peace short of Ukrainian capitulation.”
That was a veiled but nonetheless ruthless verdict on Donald Trump failed peace efforts.
Moore also stated clearly that Putin would only make peace when a crisis threatened his rule.
Trump is echoing those arguments. He has repeated threats of sanctions and told Europe to stop buying oil because those are the most powerful levers to precipitate a Russian crisis that forces Putin to the table.
It is heartening for some. To others it’s simply proof the US leader believes the last person he met. And that could be Putin next.
The swaggering ex-Russian president Dmitry Medvedev predicted Trump will “make another u-turn”.
He said: “He always does. He’ll probably ask Zelensky to sign the capitulation in a couple of days.”
Medvedev might be right. But he might be disappointed because right now Trump feels betrayed.
As absurd as it might sound, Trump thought Putin was his friend – he said as much in London – and he was banking on that friendship to end the war in Ukraine.
He said many times in the last few days: “Putin really let me down.”
As so many times in history, the fate of nations hinges on the chemistry between leaders.
Today Trump backs Ukraine. He is pally with Zelensky and wounded with Putin.
Tomorrow, who knows? The rollercoaster will keep moving.
If one thing is certain it is that Putin – the former KGB spy – will be plotting ways to regain control of Trump’s rollercoaster ride.
ReutersUkraine has been hammering Russian oil with long-range missiles[/caption]
EPATrump once called Russian President Vladimir Putin his friend[/caption]
ReutersUkrainian troops amid Russia’s attack in the Kharkiv region[/caption]
ReutersVolodymyr Zelenskiy will want to see full support from Trump[/caption]