Despite four years of sustained hysterics about the supposed Russian-compromised nature of his presidency, Donald Trump’s administration carried out a variety of policies to shore up Europe’s eastern flank, bolster U.S. military strength relative to Russia’s, and weaken Russia’s coercive power generally. Yet six months into President Joe Biden’s term, we’ve seen the opposite effect: The sources of the taunts and tough-talking on Russia have been remarkably conciliatory to Vladimir Putin.
