President Vladimir V. Putin’s strategy for defeating Ukraine can be summed up in one revealing moment in his February interview with the former television host Tucker Carlson.
Addressing the possibility of heightened U.S. involvement in Ukraine, the Russian leader asked Americans: “Don’t you have anything better to do?”After several tumultuous weeks in American politics, Mr. Putin appears closer than ever to getting the answer he seeks.
President Biden, Ukraine’s most important ally, is engulfed in the biggest political crisis of his tenure, with calls from fellow Democrats to withdraw from the presidential race.
Former President Donald J. Trump, favored in the polls, has picked as his running mate one of the loudest critics of American aid to Kyiv.
And at the Republican National Convention Thursday night, Mr. Trump renewed his pledge to end the fighting and channeled Mr. Putin in warning of “World War III.”
Persons:
Vladimir V, Tucker Carlson, “, Putin, Biden, Ukraine’s, Donald J, Trump, ”
Organizations:
Ukraine, Republican, Convention
Locations:
Ukraine, Kyiv