Ukraine War Risks Turning Into Trump’s Afghanistan Debacle

Firefighters are seen next to a burnt-out car following mass Russian drone and missile strikes in Lviv on July 12.
Photographer: Yuriy Dyachyshyn/AFP/Getty Images

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By Nick Wadhams and Eric Martin

July 22, 2025 at 1:18 AM UTC

Updated on

July 22, 2025 at 2:23 PM UTC

On the face of it, the US involvement in Ukraine bears little similarity to the 20-year Afghanistan war, not least because there are no American boots on the ground in Europe.

Yet there are similarities for President Donald Trump: resolving the conflict is proving no easy task, and he risks getting shackled with responsibility — and potentially blame — the longer it goes on.