Over the past month, we have seen Vladimir Putin launch a violent and pointless war against Ukraine. The idea behind this invasion was not predicated on aggression from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), or because Ukraine was plotting against Russia, but simply because Putin has failed to acknowledge the sovereignty and legitimacy of Ukraine. Russia’s invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, with millions of Ukrainian refugees being displaced. Putin has stated in the past that Russia and Ukraine are the same nation, but it should be noted that in the referendum that resulted in Ukrainian independence, 92 percent of the population voted in favor of independence. 

Nearly the entire western world has condemned this invasion as an attack, not just on Ukraine and its citizens, but an attack on democracy itself. The United States, the European Union, and many other western nations have placed crippling sanctions on Russia, which has caused the price of gas to spike across the world. I mentioned that nearly everyone in the western world has condemned the invasion, except for former U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump has gone so far as to call Putin himself “smart,” “savvy,” and “genius” for his invasion of Ukraine, and has failed to condemn his actions. Granted, Trump is no longer a sitting President, but there is still a present danger for a figure like Trump not calling for a condemnation of Putin’s war.

It should be stated that former President Trump has a long and sorted history with Russia, even before his election to the White House. Trump had many real estate dealings with Russian businessmen before his presidency, specifically him trying to build a tower in Moscow, which failed. Further, in 2016, while Trump was on the campaign trail, Russian agents met with Trump’s close advisors, Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort, to discuss giving aid to help elect Trump, and giving dirt on his opponent, Hillary Clinton. Russia also provided aid to the Trump campaign indirectly by planting disinformation on social media to hurt Clinton. After the 2016 election, Trump seemed very hesitant to condemn Vladimir Putin publicly. Trump would go so far as to invite Russia back to the G7 summit as well as saying in front of Putin that there was “no reason” why Russia would interfere with the 2016 election. It is also important to remember that Trump has little regard for the well-being of democracy, as he instigated a riot to keep himself in power in January 2021. Given Trump’s history of dealings with Russia and slight affection for Vladimir Putin, it seems fairly plausible that Trump would have a difficult time condemning Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Donald Trump must announce his condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin as soon as possible. Trump has denounced the invasion itself, calling it a “holocaust,” but he has still failed to criticize Putin himself. Even though Trump holds no political office in the U.S., he still holds a high amount of power and influence in the United States. He has gained the support of nearly half the population, and it is likely that he will seek a second presidential run in the 2024 election. If Trump is indeed elected, and given his level of support, it is not out of the question, it is crucial that he makes his position clear that he stands in favor of an independent Ukraine. The U.S. has seen how Trump has dealt with Russia during times of peace, but the prospect of how he will stand against Putin in times of war is far more dangerous and unsettling.