Ukraine has put up a staunch fight against the invasion launched by its bigger and more powerful neighbor Russia, but things appear to be going horribly wrong.

Russia’s army crossed the border on Feb. 24, 2022, in an all-out invasion that Putin sought to justify by falsely saying it was needed to protect Russian-speaking civilians in eastern Ukraine and prevent the country from joining NATO.

Russia’s attempt to blame Ukraine, which Trump has now parroted, is part of a longstanding argument that doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.