It’s probably not Trump, who is growing impatient, beginning to lose his iron grip on the Republican Party and MAGA movement, and keen to prioritise domestic concerns. An adviser told The Atlantic magazine: “He’s simply tired of the war, of thinking about it and being asked about it.”
We now have 10 months of data on Trump’s attitude to this issue. While there have been dramatic shifts in his tone and position – recall his momentary optimism that Ukraine could keep fighting and win the war – overall, the president’s instincts have been consistent. They were evident back in February during that shakedown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.
In Trump’s view, Ukraine has not been sufficiently grateful for the US’s charity. It was somehow complicit in its own invasion by allowing it to happen (along with former US president Joe Biden). And it “doesn’t hold the cards” on the battlefield: true, for the most part.
Trump reiterated those points again on Sunday (Monday AEDT) as the talks in Geneva were under way. Ukraine’s leadership had shown “ZERO GRATITUDE”, he wrote on social media. And the war would not have happened if Kyiv (and Washington) had “strong and proper” leadership at the time.
These are Trump’s north stars on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, along with what seems like genuine dismay over senseless killing for little territorial gain, and exasperation that it is so difficult to resolve.
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Putin will be hoping that the domestic political pressures on Trump, including a view from some America First types that he is spending too much time on foreign affairs, will play in his favour.
But it’s also the case that as Trump’s iron grip on the party starts to slip, Republicans who disagree with him are emboldened to speak louder – and act.
Some Republicans are now renewing their push to pass legislation that would impose crushing new sanctions, including a 500 per cent US tariff on any country that still buys Russian oil, among other measures.
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Trump has resisted the full gamut of proposed sanctions, arguing it would undermine negotiations with Putin.
Republican senator Lindsey Graham, who led the push in the upper chamber, says it’s time to pull the trigger.
“Going after Russia’s oil customers is the way to push Putin to the peace table,” he said on the weekend. “It is imperative we move this bill through Congress as soon as possible to ensure an honourable and just peace in Ukraine.”
