4 things to remember about Trump, Ukraine and Putin
Marshall Cohen
Analysis by Marshall Cohen, CNN
Updated 2:05 AM ET, Sat March 26, 2022
Washington (CNN)The Russian invasion of Ukraine didn't just happen out of nowhere.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ratcheted up tensions with the West for the better part of the last decade -- he annexed Crimea, meddled in US elections, poisoned an ex-spy on British soil, and more. Nearly every step of the way, former President Donald Trump parroted Kremlin talking points, excused Russian aggression and sometimes even embraced it outright.
It's easy to forget that a few years ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wasn't known for his steely wartime leadership, but for getting dragged by Trump into the US political scandal that led to Trump's first impeachment.
Experts say Trump's actions weakened Ukraine, divided NATO, emboldened Putin and helped get us to where we are today. And even with Trump no longer in office, his impact lives on in the form of Putin-friendly commentary in conservative media and from some Republican lawmakers.
"One of the key reasons Putin probably felt comfortable launching the invasion of Ukraine was the extent to which the West has been weakened and destabilized, and democracy undermined, and political divisions sown, in the five years since he attacked our election in 2016," said Garrett Graff, a historian and journalist with expertise in national security and Cold War issues.
Here are four things to remember about Trump, Ukraine and Putin.
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https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/26/politics/trump-putin-ukraine/index.html?utm_term=link&utm_content=2022-03-26T16%3A00%3A45&utm_source=twCNNi&utm_medium=social
