Attempts to find peaceful solutions to hot wars in both the Ukraine and Palestine have proved largely fruitless. It's hard to say whether a competent and sane administration in Washington would have done much better, given the intransigence of the combatants, though surely it could have done little worse.

Before the election of Trump last year, Putin was being squeezed from all sides. But having a man in Washington who is happy to parrot the Russian lines about how to settle has let Russia off the hook. Why make peace when you can continue grinding away, making more and more small gains? Why negotiate sincerely when your opponent is happy to show all his cards?

Did someone, who was a Republican President, once say, 'Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall.'? Was that a dream?