Finally, President Trump’s patience with Vladimir Putin seems to have run out, with the threat of significant sanctions (in 50 days) if there is no ceasefire and the intention to deliver ‘top-of-the-line’ weapons. As always, there is a lack of clarity and a considerable chance of Trump changing his mind, but it shows that he has finally realised that Moscow has no intention of ending its war of aggression.
It was high time. Putin has been insultingly dismissive of Trump’s initiatives, showing how little he thinks of him, even launching serious attacks on Ukrainian civilians after calls for peace from the White House. So far, this had elicited little response from the US beyond rhetoric, which was, at times, surprisingly mild and Russia-biased. But Putin has overplayed his hand. Trump sees the world as being governed by strong men who divide power between them. Putin’s actions make the American look weak and ineffectual, insulting him at a personal level.
Is this the end of the Trump-Putin alignment? Trump might not carry through his promises and threats, in part depending on whether Moscow makes some conciliatory moves. The potential of alignment remains on the table, given that it seems to be what Trump ultimately wants. The best hope is that Putin continues to reject Trump’s advances, demonstrating Russia’s true nature. This also implies that, whatever our fickle ally does next, Europe needs to continue to build its capacity to oppose Russia by supporting Ukraine comprehensively.
Fabian Zuleeg is Chief Executive and Chief Economist at the European Policy Centre.
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