Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and French President Emmanuel Macron at the London security summit, March 2, 2025 (Justin Tallis/AFP)
EA on WION and BBC: Ukraine — What Next After Putin’s Humbling of Trump?
I joined Times Radio’s Trump Report on Sunday for a 32-minute special analyzing Vladimir Putin’s manipulation of Donald Trump in Alaska, the effective response of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and his European partners, and the possible outcomes of Russia’s 42-month full-scale invasion.
With host Maddie Hale, I recreate the Trump-Putin encounter last Friday, from the reality TV star’s enthusiastic greeting of the Russian leader to his uncomfortable, twitchy cave-in at a press appearance less than three hours later.
I explain why Trump’s capitulation is far from the end of the story, given that a visit by Zelensky and the European leaders to the White House on Monday could swing the “yo-yo” once again.
I set out a possible landing point to end Russia’s invasion, with Ukraine accepting short-term Russian occupation of parts of the south and east — but not giving up more territory — in return for security guarantees from the US as well as European powers.
And I look at the economic indicators which point to constraints on Putin’s quest to conquer Ukraine: could his window be only 6 to 12 months?
