Why Volodymyr Zelensky might welcome Donald Trump’s victory

ON PAPERDonald Trump’s return to the White House appears to be Ukraine’s worst nightmare. The new American president has consistently refused to condemn Vladimir Putin’s invasion. He seems to admire the Russian dictator’s style of rule. He once tried to blackmail Ukraine by refusing military aid. So it’s quite a surprise – and a sign of how bad things have gotten in the country in recent months – to learn that many senior officials were hoping for a Donald Trump victory. Given the choice between continuing on bare life support or a wildcard president who would bend the rules and almost certainly cut aid, they were willing to take a risk.