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# Trump, Putin and the  Betrayal of Ukraine
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/podcasts/trump-putin-and-the-betrayal-of-ukraine/
- Published: 2026-10-08T07:56:40.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T07:56:40.000Z
- Description: Luke Harding on Putin’s war, Biden’s hesitancy, Trump acting as a Russian asset, and Kremlin links to Brexit and Britain’s hard right.
- Author: Sian Norris
- Tags: In Solidarity, Podcast, #podcast, podcasts, Luke Harding, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Arming Ukraine, Russia

[Listen now](https://pod.link/1790866829?view=apps&sort=popularity&ref=opendemocracy.net)

In this episode Sian Norris speaks with The Guardian’s Luke Harding about his book [**Betrayal: Putin, Trump and the New Age of Conquest**](https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8711/9781783353378?ref=opendemocracy.net), covering Harding’s 2007–2011 Moscow posting, FSB harassment and his expulsion while investigating Litvinenko and Putin’s wealth.

Luke argues Putin’s worldview is neo-imperial and explains how Western leaders misread Russia before the February 2022 full-scale invasion. He describes Biden’s fear of nuclear escalation and slow delivery of weapons, and says some Ukrainians hoped Trump might end the war, but Harding believes Trump behaves like a Russian asset, citing deference to Putin, policy shifts, cuts to Ukraine aid, and possible kompromat. 

We also explore Kremlin ties to the British right, Brexit-era influence, Nigel Farage’s Russia Today appearances, and the Nathan Gill bribery case, before ending on Ukraine’s resilience, drone innovation, and a strategy of degrading Russia’s war economy.

00:00 Introduction

01:13 Expelled From Moscow

03:34 FSB Harassment Campaign

07:05 Warnings Before Invasion

10:17 Putin Mythology Ukraine

13:56 Biden Zelensky Tensions

17:51 Alaska Summit Deference

20:03 Why Trump Aligns Russia

23:42 Oval Office Ambush

26:15 Britain Right Russia Links

29:27 Nathan Gill Bribery Case

35:12 Far Right Influence Network

37:18 New Age Of Conquest

40:05 Drone Warfare Template

40:54 Ukraine Resilience Winter

43:49 Ukraine Innovation Victory

**Credits:**

Presented by Sian Norris

Produced by Harry Beney