Janan Ganesh follows a torturous line of logic by contrasting the real world approach of President Joe Biden in Ukraine, with some imagining of what Biden’s predecessor would be doing (“The war in Ukraine is not the end of Trump”, Opinion, March 30).

Yet it strains credibility to assume tough talk or strategic ambiguity from a Trump administration on Ukraine. The far likelier outcome would have been inept, self-dealing chaos.

There is certainly a healthy debate about the extent to which Putin is bluffing about nuclear weapons and the need for Biden to exercise a higher risk tolerance in providing military aid to Ukraine. A slight majority of Americans suggest in polls that he should, many acknowledging at the same time that caution is understandable.

Yes, Biden is vulnerable in 2024 due to his age and poor communications skills, especially in promoting his achievements despite legislative gridlock. But there is as yet no credible alternative candidate to him — or to Trump.

Niels Erich
San Francisco, CA, US

Letter in response to this letter:

Trump re-election in 2024 is nuclear war talking point / From Robert Denham, Oakland, CA, US