Fiona Hill blames Trump’s foreign policy for turning Ukraine into Russia’s 'playground'

Fiona Hill, former Senior Director for Europe and Russia at the United States National Security Council, believes former President Donald Trump's foreign policy has played an intricate role in Russia's bold invasion of Ukraine.

On Monday, February 21, Hill — who worked as a Russian advisor for Trump — appeared on CNN where she weighed on the distinct differences between Trump's approach compared to President Joe Biden's. According to Hill, Trump's policy was more about concern for his own personal agenda as opposed to the United States' national interest.

While Trump's campaign often pushed the message of putting America first and making it "great again," Hill argues otherwise due to what she witnessed during her time working for the former president.

"There's no Team America for Trump," Hill explained. "Not once did I see him do anything to put America first. Not once. Not for a single second."

Hill touched on the timeline leading up to this point as she recalled Trump's admiration for Putin and his disapproval of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). She also noted Trump's longstanding pushback against Ukraine as he relentlessly tried to obtain incriminating information on Biden and his son, Hunter. The controversy surrounding Ukraine was also a major component of the former president's first impeachment trial.

"All this did was say to Russia that Ukraine was a playground," Hill said.

Although Biden has made a real effort to strengthen NATO allies amid Russian adversity, Hill warned that the contention will likely last for a prolonged period of time as Russia continues its pressure campaign against Ukraine. Hill also expressed concern about the real change and the effort it will take to maintain a united front.

"The real challenge is keeping everyone together for a considerable period," Hill concluded. "It's going to go on a long time."