The former chief of MI6 has claimed Vladimir Putin is playing US President Donald Trump “like a violin”. Sir Alex Younger, who led Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service between 2014 and 2020, has warned the Russian President could make Mr Trump “look like a muppet” over the conflict in Ukraine.
Mr Trump has made ending the bloodshed, which began with the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops in 2022, one of his priorities. He claimed before returning to the White House that he could stop the fighting in a day, but has grown increasingly frustrated with the Russian leader and the progress of peace talks. Sir Alex warned Mr Putin is “dangerously” overplaying his hand and doesn’t have a military solution to the war, as Russia continues to suffer huge casualties for relatively small gains.
He told BBC Newsnight: “I think he’s [Putin] played Trump like a violin so far, he’s created this idea that they’re mates and that they’re equivalent and they can solve all the world’s problems together.
“But it’s becoming very clear to Donald Trump that Putin has no other plan other than to subjugate Ukraine and he’s going to make Trump look like a muppet if he continues and that’s not acceptable.
“The evidence is he is overplaying his hand and he doesn’t have a military solution. We’re three years in, he’s lost a million men and he’s got less territory than he did in 2022, so Trump is his only answer. He’s playing it very dangerously.”
Mr Trump has told American broadcaster NBC News he plans to make a “major statement” on Russia next week, with the Kremlin saying it is awaiting to hear what it is.
He said he was “disappointed” in Russia and indicated the US would send Patriot air defence missiles — which Kyiv’s forces have used extensively to protect cities and civilian infrastructure from Russian air attacks — to Ukraine via and paid for by NATO nations.
It comes after recent weeks have Russia carry out some of its heaviest aerial bombardments of the war.
The US recently halted shipments of some American arms to Ukraine and according to reports, Mr Trump is preparing to send weapons from existing stockpiles.
The President has appeared to be losing patience with Mr Putin. He said on Tuesday: “We get a lot of bulls*** thrown at us by Putin. He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”