Ukraine’s position improving despite stalled peace process

More than nine months into his second term, US President Donald Trump is no closer to bringing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to an end than he was on Day 1. But something in his thinking about the conflict is starting to change. On the campaign trail, bidding for a second term, Trump was clear in his criticism of US support for Ukraine and the policies pursued by his predecessor, Joe Biden. He routinely called US assistance a waste of taxpayers’ money, often placed the blame for the invasion on Ukraine and insisted that, once in the Oval Office, he would end the war in 24 hours.