Suppose you were Vladimir Putin, emperor and autocrat of all the Russias. And suppose you somehow controlled the president of the United States. What would you make him do?

Withdrawing America’s support from Ukraine, switching off intelligence-sharing, and canceling even the weapons that were already in transit — that would be just the start. Ideally, he would actively take your side. He would repeat your propaganda points, calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a dictator, a crook, and an embezzler of aid money.