Former President Donald Trump has recently voiced criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky while expressing a more favorable view of Russian President Vladimir Putin. These comments come as Trump has also taken actions that appear to contradict established US policy regarding Russia's actions.
Notably, Trump blocked sanctions on Russia approximately one month after they were signed into law. This move occurred shortly after Trump stated he was "not a big fan" of Zelensky. In contrast, European leaders at a summit in Brussels were described by Zelensky as "real leaders."
BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson discussed these developments on the Newscast podcast, exploring the reasons behind Trump's increasingly amiable stance towards Putin. The podcast also featured Simpson reflecting on his 60-year career at the BBC, sharing memorable moments from his global reporting.
The Newscast podcast is a daily analysis of current political news stories from the BBC, with episodes released Monday through Sunday. It is produced by Joe Wilkinson, with contributions from Adam Chowdhury and Cordelia Hemming. The technical producer was Philip Bull, and the assistant editor was Chris Gray. Sam Bonham serves as the senior news editor. The podcast is available on BBC Sounds, and listeners can also engage with the show via email at [email protected] or WhatsApp at +44 0330 123 9480.