There is no question that bombast sometimes works. President-elect Donald Trump warned hell would be unleashed if Hamas did not release its hostages and the war in Gaza did not end by 20 January, his inauguration day.
He never explained what he had in mind to end the war, but he didn’t need to. The threat was enough. President Joe Biden and his national security team had done all the hard negotiating work for a deal but Trump’s stamp on it was conclusive.
Trump’s room for manoeuvre is limited. Bombast won’t do it, not this time
Can he now do the same with the war in Ukraine?
Trump’s main obstacle is undoubtedly Vladimir Putin. The Russian president will be a far tougher nut to crack, especially since he has shown no real interest in any compromise settlement.
Putin says he is happy to talk but he has already laid down his marker for a deal, effectively the retention of all the territory his troops have seized since 24 February, 2022, and an agreement by Kyiv’s western backers that Ukraine will never join Nato.
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