Morning Note

Donald Trump recently predicted that he’ll know whether Vladimir Putin is serious about a peace deal within the first two minutes of their Alaska summit. If he’s not, the president is prepared to levy “severe consequences.”

“There will be consequences,” Trump warned during his Wednesday press conference. "I don’t have to say [what they will be]. There will be very severe consequences," he added. 

The president did not specify whether he would use economic, financial, political, or military power to incentivize Moscow to end its invasion, but expressed hope that the meeting could lead to further dialogue and an eventual peace. He also said he would only pursue further talks if he thinks Putin is acting in good faith. 

Like much of this year’s rhetoric surrounding Ukraine, these developments return us to the core question of what this conflict has to do with the United States. America continues to pour time, money, and resources into policing this Eastern European war despite having little, if any, interest in its result. Why does that happen?

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