“When Donald Trump met President Zelensky in New York last September, the then US presidential candidate exuded confidence he could bring the war in Ukraine to an early end. “If we win, I think we’re going to get it resolved very quickly,” he said.
How quickly he meant varied over time. In a TV debate a few days earlier, Trump had promised he would “get it settled before I even become president”. This was an escalation on his previous commitment in May 2023 to stop the fighting in the first 24 hours of his presidency.
Trump has now been in office for more than two months and the penny may be beginning to drop in the White House that trying to end a conflict as bitter and complex as this may take time.”
Huh? How is it complex? It is very simple. Putin wants Russia to expand to regain its “former glory”. Zelensky is not rolling over but defends his country. The West supports Ukraine to honour the Budapest Memorandum but also to have access to its resources. They are hesitant to send boots on the ground to prevent escalation.