Anyone got a plan?

The west needs to agree on a long-term strategy to outflank Putin

- Simon Tisdall

What’s the plan, Joe? Maintaining the unity of the Nato alliance and keeping out of the war has been an objective of the US president and, in that, he has succeeded. Joe Biden wants Russia to lose, to be seen to fail. But bold, decisive action to that end has been lacking. The US approach is essentially reactive, tactical, detached.

As Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, told Congress last week, weapons and sanctions are not enough. US fears of escalation are well understood in Kyiv. But Ukraine still needs combat planes, aerial protection and safe humanitarian corridors. More than that, Ukraine’s people need effective, inspiring western leadership in support of the democratic ideals Biden champions. They need a plan.

“You are the leader of your great nation. I wish you to be the leader of the world [which] means to be the leader of peace,” Zelenskiy told Biden in what sounded like a reproach. Republican senator Ben Sasse was more forthright. “ [Ukrainians] are fighting for the free world. We’re a superpower. We should act like it,” he said.