Nevertheless, Trump’s unwillingness to refer to Putin as a war criminal despite evidence of Russian atrocities in Ukraine and an International Criminal Court warrant for his arrest renewed intrigue over the ex-president’s motives in repeatedly genuflecting to the Kremlin strongman. And making equivocal judgments about any comments the ex-president makes is risky, since he often seems to live day-by-day and minute-by-minute rather than following months-long strategic blueprints. Trump won't commit to backing Ukraine in war with Russiaīattlefield developments could dictate the course of the war long before the November 2024 election.

Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire, on Wednesday, May 10, 2023.

That includes both President Joe Biden, who staked his legacy as a defender of democratic principles in the US and abroad on Ukraine’s survival, and Putin, who presided over a scaled-down Victory Day parade in Moscow this week after failing in his war aim of crushing Ukraine’s sovereignty.įormer President Donald Trump participates in a CNN Republican Town Hall moderated by CNN's Kaitlan Collins at St. The prospect of a Trump return to office could also offer an incentive to Russian President Vladimir Putin to prolong a war that is exacting a terrible civilian toll and racking up huge Russian casualties in the hope he could exploit any decrease in the multi-billion dollar US aid flow to Ukraine.Īnd Trump’s decision to insert himself squarely into the debate reflects deepening political calculations for several key players in the war. The Republican frontrunner’s comments, in a CNN town hall meeting in New Hampshire, was the latest sign that the politics of the war in the US could become more strained as the 2024 campaign ramps up, creating new pressure on Zelensky’s coming offensive to deliver a decisive blow in the second year of the conflict. The ex-president’s refusal to say whether he wants President Volodymyr Zelensky to win the war after Russia’s unprovoked invasion – along with his absurd claim that he could end the conflict in 24 hours – escalated the prospect that Ukraine’s destiny will rest in the hands of US voters next year. Donald Trump may have just put Ukraine on the clock.

Ukraine elections 2020