Former adviser Fiona Hill has revealed in a new book that during his presidency, Donald Trump believed that Ukraine “must be part of Russia.” Hill, who served as senior director for European and Russian affairs on the US national security council from 2017 to 2019, told the book’s author, David Sanger, that Trump could not understand Ukraine as an independent state. This view aligned closely with that of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine in February 2022, a year after Trump left office.
He really could not get his head around the idea that Ukraine was an independent state.”
Hill’s comments appear in Sanger’s book New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West. The book’s release comes as the Ukraine conflict continues into its third year, with new US military aid to Ukraine currently blocked by far-right Republicans in the US House of Representatives. The opposition to aid aligns with Trump’s stance, as he seeks a presidential election rematch against Joe Biden.
Hill also described how European leaders are preparing for the possibility of a second Trump presidency, expressing concern over his unpredictable nature and its potential impact on international relations. Trump’s view of Ukraine as part of Russia, and his admiration for Putin’s autocratic leadership, has led to growing unease among European officials.
