BELGRADE, THURSDAY

NOW THAT PRESIDENTS Putin and Trump are talking over his head, Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky is said to be being advised that he might wish to consider his own personal position if the war with Russia does not end with the recapture of the Donbas and Crimea.

“Normally, when a war is – I won’t say lost – let’s say unwon, the leader at the time takes the blame. All his internal opponents, who have kept silent while there was even the remotest chance of some success, will now come out of the shadows and hurl all the blame they can find in his direction,” says a Ukraine Government official who wishes to remain anonymous. “And it will not be pretty.

“The word around here is that Mr Zelensky does have an escape plan, for himself and his family. Maybe to Florida. Perhaps to London. Or even Buenos Aires or Tel Aviv. There’s a few places he can go. If he wants.”