There's no question that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin don't see eye to eye on a lot of things. But when it comes to Putin's war against Ukraine, it's hard to say how Trump would deal with it.
On the one hand, Trump has been critical of Putin in the past, calling him a 'thug' and a 'killer.' But on the other hand, Trump has also said that he would 'get along very well' with Putin and that he's 'not going to say [Putin's] a great guy.'
So what would Trump do if Putin decided to ramp up his war against Ukraine?
It's hard to say for sure, but one thing is clear: Trump would not be shy about using military force to protect American interests. In 2014, Putin annexed Crimea from Ukraine, and Trump was quick to condemn the move. 'You just don't go and invade countries,' Trump said at the time.
Trump has also said that he would 'absolutely' provide military assistance to Ukraine if Putin invaded. So it's clear that Trump would not idly stand by while Putin waged war against Ukraine. But it's also clear that Trump would be very hesitant to use military force against Putin directly.
Trump has repeatedly said that he wants to 'get along' with Putin, and he has even suggested that the two of them could work together to fight ISIS. So it's possible that Trump would try to work out some kind of diplomatic solution with Putin, even if that meant making some concessions to Russia.
The Trump administration would likely deal with Putin's war against Ukraine in a number of ways.
First, the United States would likely increase its economic and military support for Ukraine. This would include providing more financial assistance to help Ukraine rebuild its economy and providing additional military equipment and training to help Ukraine defend itself.
Second, the United States would probably increase its own military presence in the region in order to deter further Russian aggression. This could involve stationing additional troops in NATO countries bordering Russia or increasing the number of naval ships in the Black Sea.
Finally, the United States would likely use diplomatic pressure to try to resolve the conflict. This could involve working with other countries to impose economic sanctions on Russia or working to diplomatically isolate Russia.
Ultimately, how the Trump administration would deal with Putin's war against Ukraine would likely depend on a number of factors, including the level of Russian aggression and the strength of Ukrainian resistance. But it's also possible that Trump would simply let Putin do whatever he wants in Ukraine, and that he would only get involved if American interests were directly threatened. Only time will tell how Trump would really deal with Putin's war against Ukraine. But one thing is clear: Trump would not take it lightly.
