There comes a point in life when a person has to sit down and face reality. On the war in Ukraine and the motives of Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump – who on Tuesday accused the Russian leader of “playing with fire” – may have finally reached it.
The long holiday weekend in the United States was a difficult one for Trump and his efforts to wind down the conflict in Ukraine. Over three consecutive days, the Russians conducted a ferocious barrage of drone, cruise missile and ballistic missile attacks against multiple Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv. On the third day of the bombardment, the Ukrainians claimed that 355 drones swarmed to various targets, most of which were shot down by air defence units and electronic countermeasures.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky used the attack as yet another piece of evidence for an argument that is strengthening by the day: Putin is not genuinely interested in peace and still believes he can subjugate Ukraine to Moscow’s will.
That’s not what Trump has imagined. He has repeatedly emphasised that Putin is as tired of the war as everybody else. Putin “wants to end it,” Trump told reporters in February after one of his calls with the Russian leader. “I think Russia is ready,” Trump said last month. “I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelensky. So far, it’s been harder.”
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