As I say in my introduction, Yaroslav Trofimov is one of the best foreign-affairs correspondents in the world. Born in Kyiv, he joined the Wall Street Journal in 1999 and has been its chief foreign-affairs correspondent since 2018. Among his books is Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine’s War of Independence. He has also written a novel, No Country for Love, which is about Ukraine.
Like many others, I have learned a great deal from Yaroslav Trofimov about Ukraine, Russia, Europe, the Middle East—even my own country, the United States. He and I last podcasted in January 2024, here. Today, I have a slate of questions for “Yaro,” including these:
Is Ukraine in a perilous moment?
Garry Kasparov often says, “Only Trump can save Putin.” Is this true?
President Trump likes to tell a story about the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. A Russian general took a wrong turn—a fateful turn—getting stuck in the mud. Otherwise, Russia would have taken the whole of Ukraine quickly. Where in the world did Trump get this story? Why does he repeat it?
“We’ve given a lot to Ukraine,” said Trump. “They’ve given us nothing. Remember that.” Forgetting Ukraine’s sacrifices on the front lines of a broader struggle—which must not be forgotten—what about Ukrainians in Afghanistan and Iraq?
Does the Kremlin “have” anything on Trump? Why does he act the way he does? Why does he exempt Putin from criticism?
What is the role of money on the U.S. side—business deals?
What about China, as part of a Gang of Three with the United States and Russia?
If the United States withdraws its nuclear umbrella from Europe, will the Europeans, and the French in particular, be able to replace it?
It is a pleasure to talk with, and learn from, someone informed, experienced, and judicious. That is Yaroslav Trofimov.
