Oh he had help...
Trump - and by extension the cretins that voted for him- were willing tools to help lay the groundwork for the actions we see today. Had Trump won a second term Putin would have had a cakewalk.
Look at the talking heads on Russian media calling for genocide and nuclear war- they are willing accomplices as well...
And then we have conservative media and politicians here in the US and elsewhere excusing the Russian actions.
And if LePen wins in France? What will that do to NATO unity?