Russia invaded Ukraine four years ago this month. The historical accounts that emerge over time will almost certainly conclude that Vladimir Putin launched that invasion because he perceived weakness in the leadership of the primary obstacle to his imperial ambitions, the United States.
Putin thought a window of opportunity had finally emerged, such that in those historical assessments Ukraine will follow from Afghanistan much as Poland in 1939 followed from Munich in 1938.
That Putin's invasion failed has been due, however, largely to our willingness to provide aid to Ukraine, perhaps not as much as should have been provided or as quickly as could have been at various junctures, but in sufficient fashion to produce the single most important success in American foreign policy in this century (and undoubtedly Joe Biden's biggest accomplishment as president).
Alas, that achievement has threatened to be undone since the day Donald Trump was sworn into office again, with his administration placing persistent pressure upon Ukraine to accept a settlement to the conflict on Russia's terms.
Trump's motives for appeasing Putin have never been guided by any conception of American...
Source: https://www.newstribune.com/news/2026/feb/16/commentary-dealmaking-and-losing/
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