The halls of power in Washington and Moscow are buzzing with talk of great power politics and the end of the war against Ukraine. On paper, three years of war have brought little benefit to Vladimir Putin. In exchange for hundreds of thousands of casualties and an economy on the brink, Russia now possesses a chunk of territory in the east of Ukraine. That return hardly compares to the grandiose dream of seeing Russian troops marching triumphant through the streets of Kyiv. However, Donald Trump now seems to be on the verge of handing his Russian counterpart a trove of long-term diplomatic and strategic wins – and a much bigger, spiritual victory.
Trump seems keen to end US support for Kyiv. According to US defence secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at the Ramstein security meeting in Brussels this week, Ukraine’s hope to return to its 2014 borders is “unrealistic” and an “illusionary goal,” Nato membership for Ukraine is all but impossible, and vital weapons deliveries from the US are to stop. Speaking to Vladimir Putin by phone, Trump reiterated this new, hardline stance. American security backing for Ukraine and Europe would cease, leaving the continent to face a belligerent Putin alone.
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