Two years into war, Putin gets a propaganda opportunity as Congress dithers over Ukraine

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As the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches, it feels like everyone has been sucked into a bizarro world.

► Two years ago, in February 2022, Tucker Carlson was a Fox News host, still adjacent to mainstream US politics.

► US support for Ukraine seemed ironclad and unflappable as Russia invaded.

► Russian President Vladimir Putin was about to be isolated worldwide as a pariah.

► Elon Musk would sooncommit to helping Ukraine with his Starlink satellite internet system.

► Former President Donald Trump was still plotting his way out of the political wilderness, his presence rarely felt by most of the country.

What a difference two years makes

Some developments this week:

► Putin got a platform, thanks to a softball interview by Carlson, who was banished from Fox News last year and has turned to Twitter, the platform Musk bought and renamed X, to spew right-wing conspiracy theories.

► American aid for Ukraine is in real question as US politicians, led by Republicans in the House of Representatives, question the investment. Note: When Trump helped kill a bipartisan border policy bill this week, it also put Ukraine aid sought for months by President Joe Biden in jeopardy.

► Trump’s emergence from the wilderness is complete. He has all but erased any question he will be the Republican presidential nominee for the third time and is plotting his return to the White House.

The Pentagon, by the way, is now paying Musk’s SpaceX for Ukraine to use Starlink.