Donald Trump promised a “Big Day at the White House”, and in terms of diplomatic “optics”, it lived up to the billing. He found himself entertaining four presidents (European Commission, Finland, France, Ukraine), two prime ministers (Italy, the UK), the German chancellor and the secretary general of Nato. It was an unprecedented gathering, and one that spoke to the geopolitical importance of the issues discussed.
It was also striking that the Russian president was fussed over rather more a few days ago in Alaska, with Vladimir Putin greeted on touchdown by President Trump and with a flypast of B2 bombers. That was a generally more sycophantic reception than the European posse were granted, and Mr Trump even allowed Putin to take control of the agenda, cheekily permitting the Russian war criminal to play the role of host by the end of the shameful proceedings.
