The judgment of a man who fails to distinguish between aggressor and victim when describing the Russia-Ukraine war is not worthy of respect. Unfortunately, when that man is the US president, his opinion cannot be ignored.

Earlier this year, Donald Trump asserted that Vladimir Putin had “all the cards” and urged Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make peace in terms that resembled surrender. This week, Mr Trump declared that Kyiv might achieve total victory, liberating all territory currently under Russian occupation.

This assessment follows a process described by the president as “getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia military and economic situation”. Mr Trump offered to continue supplying American weapons for Nato “to do what they want with them”. Asked about Russian incursions into airspace over alliance members, the president suggested the offending jets could be shot down. This was later qualified as a prescription to be followed only “if they’re attacking”.

Given Mr Trump’s capacity for hyperbole, self‑contradiction and spouting nonsense, it is hard to evaluate the significance of his sudden enthusiasm for Ukrainian liberation and gung-ho attitude to Moscow’s military provocations.

It is not wholly new. His........

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