The Rest Is Politics 505. Are Trump and Putin Underestimating Ukraine?
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Feb 25, 2026 Reporting from Kyiv on the fourth anniversary of the invasion, they explore morale, national pride and the toll of casualties. They question US influence as funding cuts shift negotiating power and probe why Europe is not leading talks. Practical wartime innovations, corruption and reconstruction costs are discussed alongside the political friction with Hungary and debates over sporting ties.
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Full Day In Kyiv Shows Intense Engagement
- Alastair Campbell describes arriving in Kyiv after a 12-hour sleeper train and a day of back-to-back meetings with officials and civil society.
- He met activists, ministers and EU Commissioner Marta Kos and spent the day from 5am to after 10pm interviewing people on the ground.
Praise For Resilience Can Reduce International Urgency
- Ukrainians resent being praised for 'resilience' because it can excuse inadequate international action.
- Civil society told Alastair that compliments about resilience shrink obligations, and they want concrete support to defeat Putin rather than moral praise.
Europe Forced To Fund War While US Retains Diplomatic Leverage
- The US is perceived as still calling the shots on negotiations despite cutting major military aid and stepping back financially.
- Europeans are now funding much of Ukraine's defence and expect to lead, but feel sidelined because the US posture allows Putin to ignore Europe.