BORIS JOHNSON: Why I am more convinced than ever that Trump has the strength and bravery to save Ukraine and end this appalling war

It was the moment that Donald Trump won the November presidential election. I don’t mean the fateful decision to turn his head, which saved him from death by a quarter inch.

We are not talking about the miraculous fact that he survived, when at 6:11 p.m. in Butler, Pennsylvania, tens of thousands of shocked admirers watched him go down, blood streaming from a head wound whose significance was initially disturbingly unclear.

No, the moment of truth, perhaps of revelation, came seconds later when Secret Service agents tried to drag him horizontally — shoeless — from the scene. That’s when Donald Trump showed his character.

In a flash, he confirmed not only his theatrical instincts but also his courage. He had just been hit by a high-powered rifle bullet and would not let himself be carried away passively. He took control of the situation. He wrestled free of his security guards, ignored their safety protocols, and straightened up until he was sure the crowd could see him.

With his fist in the air, he urged his followers to ‘fight, fight, fight’, proving, when it really mattered, the most important thing of all: that he was made of the right stuff.

He knew there was one thing far more important than his evacuation from the crime scene: showing America that the killer’s bullet had not fought him, either physically or psychologically.

That photo, with the police officers arranged in what art historians would call “heroic diagonals,” and Trump’s blood-spattered face and hand at the top, has already become the defining image of this campaign in the eyes of many Americans because of the message it conveys.

With this, Trump is saying to America and the world: I will not be bowed down, I will not be defeated.

More importantly, that image says to Americans: With me as your leader, you will not bow down. You will not be defeated. That’s why the gesture has touched the hearts of his fans — and maybe even a few others.

I believe that indomitable spirit is exactly what the world needs right now, and exactly what is needed in the White House.

As we approach the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, the world stands at a crossroads. We face horrific potential conflicts—in the Middle East, between Israel and Iran’s vassals; in the South China Sea, over Taiwan; and on our own continent, Europe, we are witnessing the bloodiest and most horrific war in 80 years.

After speaking with Donald Trump this week, I am more convinced than ever that he has the strength and courage to solve the problem, save Ukraine, bring peace and stop the disastrous contagion of conflict.

Whatever other Republicans have said about Ukraine in the past, I believe Trump understands the reality: that a defeat for Ukraine would be a huge defeat for America. It’s not just about the extinction of freedom and democracy, those cardinal American values, and the enslavement of the Ukrainian people — although that outcome would be grim in itself.

It’s about the long-term consequences of a Putin victory; the practical effect of that catastrophe on Europe, America and the world. If Putin wins in Ukraine, he won’t stop there, of course.

Look at the map; listen to the chilling things the Russian president is now saying: his confused understanding of Poland’s history and the reasons for the outbreak of World War II.

Putin has made it clear that he considers the collapse of the Soviet Union – in his own words – “the greatest disaster of the 20th century” and that he wants to rebuild the Union.

He will attack not only Georgia, but the entire Russian “near abroad.” He has already begun Hitlerite condemnations of the treatment of Russian speakers in the Baltic states. Where will that end?

If NATO has failed Ukraine and if America has been failed, who can trust the alliance to stand up for its own members?

As Putin destabilizes all of Eastern Europe, undoing the gains of Ronald Reagan and wrecking the post-Cold War settlement, his Chinese partners and cronies will be eager to take Taiwan, while Hezbollah attacks Israel.

Suddenly, we could be on the brink of a truly horrific conflict in which Americans face a choice: either give up all pretense of global leadership, or pay trillions of dollars to restore order and send young Americans abroad again to die on foreign soil.

It is a dire prospect, but it could be averted at relatively little cost, with no loss of American lives, if we – the US-led West – are determined to stand up for freedom in Ukraine.

The Ukrainians have shown that they can and will win. Even today they are pushing Putin back in the Kharkov region and exacting a huge toll on the Russians in Donetsk. Their heroism is incredible. But the war has been going on for too long and the price is immense, in lives, in economic misery and instability.

I believe Trump can end it — on the right terms for Ukraine and the West. I stress that I’m not sure what exactly he would do if elected. But here’s what he could do.

He could do a lot for the world, ultimately convincing Putin that Ukraine’s future lies in a free, sovereign and independent European country. That means a two-phase approach.

The first step is to strengthen the hand of the West, and to strengthen Ukraine. For the past two years, we have been wishing Ukrainians the end — victory — without giving them the means.

We have been chronically slow to provide the right equipment, and even now we impose ridiculous restrictions on how they can use it, forcing Ukrainians to fight with one hand tied behind their backs.

At the moment, the Russians are using air-launched glide bombs to inflict significant damage on Ukrainian positions. But the Ukrainians cannot fire back because the US does not allow them to use ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems) to reach Russian airfields, and the UK, to my regret, does not allow them to use Storm Shadow (our long-range air-launched cruise missiles).

Trump could simply do what comes naturally to him: end the bureaucratic delays, give the Ukrainians the necessary approvals and then, when Putin is blocked again, offer the deal.

Putin would then have to withdraw at least to the pre-invasion borders in 2022. To avoid future conflict and uncertainty, the rest of Ukraine should be recognized as a free country, which can determine its own destiny within the EU and NATO and is absolutely welcome to join as soon as possible.

The Ukrainians have over a million men under arms. They are now used to operating NATO equipment and they are the most effective anti-Russian force in the world. When the war is over, there is no reason why Ukrainian troops could not replace some of the 70,000 American troops still in Europe.

That would save Trump money, bring US troops home and push Europeans to do more to defend themselves: one of his main goals.

What would Russia get in return? Well, I think there are all sorts of incentives that could work with Putin. He could, of course, claim that the “special military operation” — that is, the invasion — had been a success and that he had denazified Ukraine. There could be special protections for Russian speakers.

With Trump in the White House, there is above all a real prospect of a global rapprochement with Russia. With Putin, there is a return to the days when Russia was a respected partner of the G8 and even NATO.

But there is only one way to achieve this result: by force. Washington under Trump will have to show that international borders must be respected and that the Soviet empire cannot be rebuilt by force.

That means we have to support the Ukrainians to the hilt. If Trump had been in the White House, I don’t think Putin would have been so reckless and criminal as to invade Ukraine.

Never forget that it was Trump, not Obama or Biden, who gave the Ukrainians the Javelin anti-tank weapons that were so crucial in the Battle of Kiev in 2022. Trump already has a track record of decisive military interventions on behalf of Ukrainian democracy.

If and when he returns to power later this year, Trump has a huge opportunity — not just to restore his predecessor’s legacy, but to move the world forward. Donald Trump sees the risk: that defeat for Ukraine would exact a huge long-term price from America and the world.

On the other hand, a victory for Ukraine — handled properly — could paradoxically pave the way for a new and much better relationship with Russia. That would be a great victory, for America and for the world.

I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. It’s going to take strength. It’s going to take determination. It’s going to take nerves of steel. In Butler, Pennsylvania, Donald Trump showed that he has exactly the courage for the job.