That Oval Office frame & India

Putin sees this as a victory. Europeans have decided to deal with Trump on his terms for the sake of the larger Western alliance. We look at the lessons for us in India

- SHEKHAR GUPTA

Focus for a moment on that image, one that will be remembered for generations. Leaders of the greatest European nations, along with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, sitting like contrite, obedient schoolchildren in front of Donald Trump, the imperial headmaster.

What's the first emotion that comes to your mind: Sympathy, amusement, pity, schadenfreude, a call to wake up to the new world? Chances are it will be a combination of all of the above, except sympathy. And that isn't just because we are Mr Trump's favourite victim today. At some point going ahead, we'd suggest we revise this impulsive reaction.

We can see at least one leader's mind is free of emotional muddle. Vladimir Putin sees this with pure contempt. Here are the richest, most powerful nations in the world, the third- and sixth-largest national economies, the second-largest economic bloc (EU), two nuclear-armed P5 states, all on their knees.

They are reduced to being court jesters before the only leader who matters in the Western alliance, which Mr Putin has been trying to weaken. This has been argued persuasively by Owen Matthews in an article for The Spectator headlined "Putin's trap: how Russia plans to split the Western alliance".

Mr Putin also sees this as an acknowledgement that he has won the war. It is entirely up to him to define this victory. It's the opposite for the Europeans, who now need to see what isn't a bad enough defeat.